My vision blurs.
I can’t do this. I can’t live like this.
My heart stutters, skipping a beat, fear clawing up my throat?—
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Drago
Song- Slip Away, UNSECRET, Ruelle.
I tap my finger against the desk, the sharp rhythm cutting through the low hum of the room as we wait for Enzo to join the call on the screen.
“You okay?” Reggie asks from beside me.
“Yeah. I’m fine.” I brush him off.
I’m not.
Something is fucking nagging me, a tightness under my ribs I can’t shake. The kind that doesn’t come from fear or violence, but from knowing something is wrong and not yet knowing what.
The call clicks in, and all attention shifts to Enzo. His face fills the screen. He starts talking, but my focus slips. Words blur together.
Something about a church. Something about how the peace talk is going to work.
I check the time on my watch. I’ve been itching to get back to Lily since I left this morning. Since the way she looked at me. Since the way she tried to cover whatever she was feeling with sex. With closeness. With distraction.
It didn’t fool me.
Her smile gave her away. The one she uses when she’s hurting and doesn’t want anyone to see it.
I glance at my watch again. Slower this time. My eyes snag on the date.
My breath stutters. I blink once. Then my heart slams so hard it hurts.
Fuck.
I stand up so fast my chair screeches back, nearly tipping over. The room goes dead silent. I’m suddenly aware of every pair of eyes on me.
“I-I need to go,” I blurt out, looking at Declan.
His jaw twitches. “Go? Are you sick? Sit back down, Drago.”
This day. Five years ago. The day Lily’s world shattered. The day she learned how to survive by locking pieces of herself away. She keeps the demons at bay better than anyone I know.
But anniversaries don’t give a fuck how strong you are.
“No. Lily needs me.”
Concern floods Declan’s face. “Is it an emergency? More important than taking down the Preacher?”
“Lily is more important than anything. Someone can fill me in after. I’m sorry. I need to go.” The words are final. No debate. No hesitation.
I don’t look back.
I’m already moving, already pulling my phone from my pocket as I jog toward my car parked out the back of Inferno.
I hit dial.
