“Sorry,” Ashton says and shakes his head.He doesn’t lift the gun or threaten me with it, but it’s in his hand, pointed down toward the ground, and that’s enough for me to know that he’s ontheirside.He’s taken the weapon, he’s accepting the power they’re granting him.
I scoff and push Ashton as I step backward.“We’re brothers,” I say, grinding my teeth.We may not be biological or blood, but I thought our friendship and being teammates meant something.
“You know mafia family always comes first,” Ashton says.
I’ve always known Ashton was close to his father.I’ve heard the phone calls.I’m well aware that he intends to run the Chicago Bratva after college.I just didn’t see him betraying me and siding with my father.
“Don’t do this,” I say, hoping to talk some sense into my friend.
“Don’t make me pull the trigger,” Ashton says as he grabs me by the shirt and shoves me toward my car.“Now, help us find Harper before she gets the child killed.”
I climb into the driver’s seat rather quickly.Stalling isn’t going to help Harper.There are too many of them chasing her down.Her best option is my help.
Ashton, however, is going to be a thorn in my side when I finally get to her.
The iron gates remain open, and I drive onto the main road and turn left, the direction that I know she ran with the little boy.
I turn off the radio, open the windows, and feel a blast of cool air.I’m listening for any indication of a struggle, in case I don’t see her but I hear her.
“You can’t save her,” Ashton says, the gun still in his grasp as it rests on his lap.
“Well, I’m not about to shoot her.”I glare at him before returning my attention to the road.I’m following along the fence line.The property extends quite a bit, but there’s no sign of her.There are several of my father’s men in suits scouring the perimeter.
It’s still dark outside, which is the one advantage that she’ll have, the cover of night.
“She’s just a girl, one who is easily replaceable,” he says.
I scoff at his suggestion.“Everyone is replaceable, according to the mafia.”
Ashton shrugs as his gaze peers out the window, taking everything in, looking forher.“You’re not wrong,” he says.“But don’t get yourself worked up over her.She’s cute and all, but she’s not worth your life, and you heard Dante.He’d have me end both of you if it comes down to it.Don’t be stupid, Luca.As your friend, I’m telling you to not be stupid.”
My stomach sours.“Glad you’re not the one who ended up with her,” I mutter.
“Are you serious?”Ashton shifts in his seat.
Shit, he heard me.Not that it matters.His head is so far up the mafia’s ass, apparently, he’d do anything to appease them, including killing me when the time comes.
“You arefake datingher.Don’t forget that, Luca.It’sfake.”
Except what happened last night between us wasn’t fake, nothing about it was pretend.
I can still feel her body nestled under me, and I wish that we were both back upstairs in my bedroom.Unfortunately, I can’t wind time backward or change the course of the night’s events after our romp in the bedroom.
All I can do is vow to protect her.
“You wish it were fake,” I grumble and slam on the brakes when I witness two men throwing the little boy into the back of their SUV parked across the street.
I hightail it out of the car, and Ashton is right on my heel.
“Harper!”I shout, glancing in the vehicle, but the windows are dark.It’s nighttime and too hard to see through the glass.
But I don’t hear her voice, her screams, her pleas for help.
“Where is she?”I lunge at Nico, one of my father’s men, and land a blow to his face.My hands are on his shirt, demanding answers, as a trail of blood drips from his nose.
Ashton yanks me backward, off the soldier.
She wouldn’t have left the boy alone.“If you killed her, I swear to?—”
