I can’t take my eyes off her. She wasn’t supposed to mean anything to me, but now she’s wormed her way inside my soul inside my heart. The thought of giving her something I only gave to one other woman in my life scares me.
It terrifies me.
I loved my mother once—before I knew love was nothing more than a weakness. And all she did was turn her head, letting my father abuse my brother and I. She said she loved us. How could she not? Isn’t a mother supposed to love their children by default? No matter what? If that’s so, then love doesn't mean anything—or so I thought.
The scars I bare are almost unnoticeable to the naked eye, but they’re a stark reminder that no one protects you from the monsters in the dark but you. No one cares for you—even if you are weak and can’t care for yourself.
As I peer over at Keira in the passenger seat of my Cadillac, I’m confronted, for the first time in my life, with the idea of loving someone other than myself.
In the past, I had no one to protect me when I couldn't protect myself, but I won’t let Keira suffer the same fate. I know she can’t fight this alone. A battle against my brother is a losing one if she faces him alone. So I promise myself I won’t let her down. I will do everything in my power to protect her. I’ll give her the protection my mother failed to provide me.
When I pull into the parking lot of her old apartment complex, I see Keira’s tiny body tremble.
Doesn’t she know she doesn’t have to be scared with me by her side?
“We’re just going inside to get some of your shit, and we’ll be back out to thecar in a flash.” I give her a calming smile, but she doesn’t return one—in fact, she seems to clam up more.
“Is his body still here?” she whispers as I park and kill the engine.
“No. We disposed of it.” My words are harsh, but not untrue. Typically, those who die in this business don’t get a funeral. Leo was no exception.
“Like a bag of garbage? You just tossed him out.” Keira shifts in her seat to face me.
I can’t lie to her—nor would I even if she asked me to. I want her. I want us. And one way or another, she will have to get used to this dark and twisted life.
“Yes, Keira. In this line of work, you don’t get a funeral. They draw too much attention. But don’t feel bad or blame yourself. He knew what he was doing when he signed on for jobs. He knew what his fate looked like.”
Keira’s big brown eyes fill with tears. “I miss him, and I’m scared that when I walk back in there, all the memories will come back to me.”
Her honesty shatters me. She looks like a fragile little doll—fragile enough to break, and I don’t want her broken. I want her whole.
So, I comfort her in the only way I know how—with my touch. Cupping her cheek gently, I bring her face to mine, forcing her to move over the center console.
“You have nothing to fear. You have the devil on your side, and I’m willing to burn down the entire fucking town to keep you safe.” My lips press against hers briefly, and when I feel her tongue probe my lips in an attempt to deepen the kiss, I pull away—even if it’s the last thing I want to do. But as I told her yesterday, I can’t always be the guy she wants me to be. Right now is one of those times. A tearful smile pulls at her lips, and she blinks some of them away.
“Let’s get this done and over with, baby. I’ve got shit to do today.”
We make it into the building and up to her floor before her movements start to slow. I hold her hand and tug her along, stopping once we reach the front door. I grip the handle, twisting the knob. That’s strange. I remember telling Toni to lock up the place before he left. I open the door slowly, keeping Keira shielded from anyone who may already be inside the apartment.
“Wait here,” I whisper, releasing her hand and crossing the threshold.
The place reeks of death, and my eyes spot the dark red splotch on the floor where she most likely found her brother. There are smatterings of blood on the walls and couch, and as I move deeper into the apartment, I can see it’s been ransacked.
Fuck, Leo, what did you do to make my brother come after you? And now after your sister? I shake my head and twist on my heel, beckoning Keira forward. She’s still standing in the doorway, looking every bit as afraid as she probably feels. There aren’t any signs of forced entry, and the place looks...well, burglarized—but I’d expect nothing less from my brother.
“Come,” I order, seeing the apprehension in her eyes. She doesn’t want to, but does, her feet moving hastily over the carpet. I let her guide me into her bedroom, and I almost smile. So this is where my sweet little dove would hide from the world?
She goes straight to the closet, pulls out a suitcase, and starts shoving shit in itfrom the dresser. I don’t think she even knows what she’s taking. She’s just grabbing whatever she can find. The suitcase is almost packed to the brim, and she has trouble closing it without my help. I secretly love watching her struggle, because she’s cute as hell when she’s flustered, but now it’s nothing more than a waste of time. I’m about to give her a hand when I hear it.
The low creak of a door being opened somewhere else in the apartment.
Keira freezes beside me. I bring a finger to my lips, signaling for her to keep her mouth shut. She nods, and I reach around to grab my gun.
Slowly, and with the silence of a puma on the hunt, I make my way to the front of the apartment. As soon as I cross into the hallway, I see him.
Either he’s stupid, or he didn’t see me coming. The idiot stands in the middle of the room like he has no idea what the fuck is going on. His back is turned, and I use that advantage to come up behind him and hit him with the butt of my gun.
His body hits the floor with a loud thump, and I kick him in the side just for safe measure. He doesn’t move. Thankfully. I don’t really have the patience to deal with more shit today, but I can’t pass up an interrogation session.
