Theo muttered something in French that I didn’t understand, but if I had to guess, it wasn’t anything nice.
“I’m all for a plan,” I said. “As long as it doesn’t involve Theo as the bait.”
“Putain,” Theo growled, and whirled around on me. “Stop thinking about me like a fragile piece of glass that’s going to shatter. This asshole took me, Shep. He fuckingtookme, threatened my life and tried to ruin my reputation. If I have a chance to draw him out, to lure him into some kind of trap, you are not going to take that away from me.”
I balled my fists at my sides, fuming at the idea of Theo willing to risk his life for a chance of revenge on this guy.
“Shep,” King said quietly, and he didn’t have to say anything else for me to know whose side he was on.
I shook my head. “No.”
“I wasn’t asking.”
As I paced the room with my hands clasped behind my neck, Theo and King stood side by side, finally on the same page again after so long. While that should’ve had me feeling relieved, all I felt at that moment was panic. They were both insane. Therewere better ways to go about this if they would just stop andthinkfor a fucking minute.
“We have a chance here while he’s not on the defensive,” King said. “And don’t forget who was number two on his list.”
I didn’t need to remember; I never forgot.
It was me.
But that still didn’t mean I was ready to put Theo in danger.
“I don’t like this,” I said.
“I know.” Theo rounded the table and took my hand. He rubbed his thumb against mine, trying to soothe me when it was impossible.
“We’ll make sure he’s safe,” King said. “This guy doesn’t like to do anything too public?—”
“You forgetting the car bomb at the soccer game?”
“No. He didn’t make his moveatthe game.”
Fuck me.This was a losing battle, and I wasn’t used to that. Didn’t like it a bit.
A growl rumbled out of my throat, and I shook my head. “Goddamn you both.”
“Aww, don’t be like that,” Theo said, smirking and kissing my shoulder before shooting a wink at King. “We were all just getting along so well.”
18
THEO
THE MOTHERFUCKER WAS mine.
It was only a matter of time now before I got my hands on the man who thought he could end my world. Who wanted to take his revenge not only on King, but every one of us connected to him.
But Alessio had come through, fucking genius that he was, and now we had a name and every last detail about Ari Moreau—or Aris Danforth, whoever the hell he was.
I didn’t think I’d stopped grinning the whole drive back to Shep’s place as I thought about all the possibilities of what I’d actually do once I finally came face to face with him. He wasn’t a Libertine member I was overly familiar with, couldn’t even recall having an actual conversation with him. Shep said he’d spoken with him a couple of times at one of our galas, but that he’d been someone who played under the radar. In the mix, but never getting too close to bring attention to himself. A familiar face, but a superficial acquaintance who was chosen because of investments he brought into our club.
Investments.More like stolen money.
I was so in my own head that I didn’t notice how quiet Shep was until we’d arrived at his building and his driver opened thedoor for us. He was cautious as he stepped out onto the sidewalk, his eyes scanning everywhere, his hand close to the gun he’d been keeping tucked away every time we walked out of his place.
Always on alert and still my bodyguard,I thought as I climbed out after him. I usually had my own weapons, but Shep had stripped me of those before heading to King’s. I couldn’t imagine why. I was on my very best behavior, had even managed to squeeze an apology out of our leader. That alone was a huge weight off my shoulders, because feeling like I didn’t have the trust of King or my brothers had shaken me to my core in a way I’d never fully let on, even to Shep.
But he knew. He always knew, just like I knew he’d retreated into himself after I volunteered as bait.
