That someone else being Torin.
“Are you stupid?” I finally coax from my throat. This is, by far, the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard him say, and I’ve heard some dumb-ass shit. “Youwon’tbe walking out of there.”
“Not without having my ass handed to me,” he says, looking over my head at something or someone. “However, I trust my boys to come get me.”
I don’t.
They couldn’t find Matteo before, no matter where he was. My ex will keep Torin underground if he has to so no one can rescue him. He’ll be lost permanently.
There won’t be a trade deal.
It’ll be a trap to get Cairo, Oz, Reeve, and even Levi out so Matteo can finish this once and for all.
“Fall back in line, Pretty Boy,” I grind out through my already clenched jaw as I stare into his chest. “I don’t have time for your bullshit right now.”
“I’m the King of South Shore.” That comment has my heated attention laser-focused on Torin’s fucking head. “And I said I’m leaving.”
“Forwhat? This isn’t a vacation, Pretty Boy. He will kill you.”
“I can buy myself some time?—”
“No.”
He fucking smiles at me. “Don’t get all sentimental on me, Wildfire. You’ll put the effort in, right? You’ll come save me?”
Yes.
Of course, I fucking will, dumbass.
Nonetheless, the words don’t leave my lips, and I don’t force them.
He can’t be serious.
I might find him, eventually. But he won’t be alive and breathing.
“You’ve got two minutes,” Matteo announces, like a prick, and we forget about him. “Or we’re just going to start firing.”
Torin takes a step back, and my fingers immediately clutch onto the front of his black t-shirt.
“Stop,” I order with a sneer. “I’m not playing around.”
“I’m not either,” he returns, cool as a cucumber. “I promised him you wouldn’t get hurt. Plus, he doesn’t know how it is between us, does he? There isn’t anything you wouldn’t do to come get me. You might sneak out. You might run someone over.” He lifts his shoulders. “I’d rather you clobber someone with a baseball bat or something, make it more personal, but I’ll take whatever.”
“Torin, youcan’tgo.”
“Have to,” he deadpans, then rolls his eyes seconds later. “Listen, if it’syouwho finds me, I’ll suck your dick. Shut the fuck up so I can say goodbye to my girl.”
“Tell him you don’t move.”
“Trust me,” Torin says too easily for comfort. “He’s been bitching at me for the last two minutes that I’m a dumbass. You’re both in agreement.”
“Then don’tdoit.”
“One minute,” Matteo divulges, and that’s when Torin’s fingers wrap around my hand fisting his shirt.
“Let me go, Wildfire,” he says softly. “We’re outnumbered. Every single one of these men will die. Then you, eventually. I won’t let that happen. I promised myself he’d never put his hands on you again, and I meant that.”
Hot tears form at the back of my eyes, but I refuse to blink and allow them to fall. I can’t lose anyone else. I can’t deal with another round of gunfire and more bullet holes. More rushes to get to secret locations and everything in between.
