I turn and follow his gaze.
My heart clenches into a tight, painful fist in my chest. My stomach clenches like it’s trying to force vomit up my throat.
Lucian Conti is striding across the restaurant, head held high as if he’s not a man on the run. I move to stand, but Rhett tells me, “Stay where you are. He hasn’t got a weapon. Not one he’ll be able to get to before I kill him.”
“Someone’s going to call the cops,” I say. “Someone will recognize him from the news.”
Fear tries to tighten my throat as Lucian finally stops beside our table. He’s wearing a sharp black suit, which probably costs more than most people’s apartments. There’s a scowl on his face as he leans down, laying his hands on our table.
“Well, this is lovely,” he says, staring at me in a way I recognize well. It’s a look that says,If I can’t have you, bitch, then no one can.
I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out but a weak whimper, and I hate myself for it.
Rhett speaks through gritted teeth. “This is quite the play, Conti, showing up in public like this.”
Lucian nods. “Oh, sure, sure, I haven’t got long. But I need to know… what the fuck is going on here? All the smiling, joking, andbullshit. What is this? When did you meet? How long have you been dating?”
“That’s none of your business,” Rhett snarls. “You’ve got no right to come here, no right to eventhinkabout being in my Sunshine’s life again.”
When he saysSunshine, a look of profound hate overtakes Lucian’s face. He looks like a spoiled child whose father has just told him he has to share his toys.
“Sunshine, huh?” Lucian says, trying to stay calm even as he grabs thick handfuls of the tablecloth. The cutlery begins to rattle as his hands tremble.
Fear warps into hate as I glare at him, this man, this pathetic little weasel who took everything from me. When I told Rhett I wanted his help so I could kill this man, part of me wasn’t sure I could do it. But if someone put a gun into my hand right now, I’d pull the trigger without a second thought. I’d paint the walls with his brains.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?” Lucian says, turning to me. “I broke out of prison for you, sweetheart.”
Rhett’s eyes are scanning the restaurant, wondering if he can get away with killing Lucian here. The plan was to lure Lucian somewhereafterthe date. We didn’t think he’d be stupid enough to walk into a public place like this.
“You know I’ve been trying to make contact,” Lucian goes on, staring at me. His voice breaks, something else I’m familiar with. Lucian always had to think of himself as Mr. Good Guy when it came to his sick obsession. Like I should be grateful for his attention. “I wanted to see you… be with you. But now I see you’ve chosen thiscopinstead.” He shakes his head in disgust.
Rhett widens his eyes at me, willing me to go along with this.
I swallow and prepare myself. Rhett’s right. If I play along, there’s a chance we can get Lucian out of here, lure him, kill him. End this, endhim.
CHAPTER 25
RHETT
There’s a volcano in me, lava burning, swelling, pulsing. Every instinct I have is screaming at me to throw myself at him and smash his face in, to end this here. It’d mean prison for me with so many damn witnesses, but maybe it would be worth it.
I think Elle has got the message.Play along. Make him believe.
I feel sick, but if we’re going to do this, we need to take every opportunity.
“I’m only here with Rhett because I can’t have you,” she whispers.
My hands curl into fists as her words wash over me.
Lucian raises his eyebrows. “What?”
“You went away, and I was so lonely and… and I wasgoingto give myself to you, Lucian. That night. I was going to do it, but then all that stuff happened with Mom and Dad and…”
Lucian swallows, leaning in closer to Elle. My heart pounds so hard I’m surprised they can’t hear it. If he touches her, it’s over for him, prison or no prison.
“I never wanted things to end like that,” Lucian says. “If you’d just told me you loved me sooner, none of that would’ve happened.”
“Maybe we should go,” Elle says. “Get out of here.”
