“There’s a charity gala tomorrow night, he’ll be there.”
“That doesn’t leave me many hours before my assignment times out.” She bit her lip. “I can’t time out, Ti.”
Titus stood, enjoying how Rae’s pupils dilated at his approach. “Let’s hope everything goes to plan.”
* * *
RAE
“You okay?” Titus asked, scanning the surrounding crowd. “You’ve been quiet.”
She’d brought him to the market, people coming from miles around to shop amongst the vintage stalls and boutiques. It was one of her favourite places, the colour and sounds something she enjoyed. But for some reason when she looked at all the colourful stalls, the art installations and restaurants, she felt… bleak.
“I’m fine,” she said, brushing her fingers against a brass tankard, yanking her hand away when she realised the guy selling it wanted over fifty quid. “There’s a pickup spot not far from here. I’ve had someone grab my Ravyns from the guild, hopefully enough to cover Miles’s money.”
He hitched his rucksack higher on his shoulder, brought from his place. “I’ve already moved your brother to a safehouse.”
“You’ve done what?” Rae stopped to stare at him. “Why would you do that? You keep doing shit like this, taking charge of a situation you have no right to control. You need to release him. Now.”
“I’m not going to hurt him.” He looked disgusted at the idea.
“And how do I know that?” she asked, realising she’d raised her voice when a few people turned in their direction. She tugged on his t-shirt, pulling him to the side. “This is supposed to be between us, he’s not collateral, Ti. I don’t want him in a safehouse organised by a man I’ve tried to kill.”
“I’ve already said that I’m not going to hurt him.”
“Yeah,you’renot going to hurt him.But what about your brothers?” Anxiety wrapped around her lungs, filling them with cement. “I’m not going to believe you helped me from the kindness of your fucking heart. Everything you do is for a reason.”
His brows pulled together. “Not everyone is against you.”
They stood beside the open-air pub, the large projection screen strung between two trees displaying a live football game. A goal was scored, and Rae waited until the roar of the supporters died down before she continued.
“Actually, they are.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “Look, just because you’re great with your fingers doesn’t mean I trust you.”
“What exactly have I been getting from this arrangement? Considering I’m doing everything for a reason, apparently.”
“You’re such an arsehole. Is that really what you’re getting from this conversation? If you didn’t want to take what I offered, that’s not my problem, doesn’t change the fact I can’t trust you.”
“You’re a fucking brat,” he growled, fire in his eyes. “You have no idea what it’s like to keep calm around you.”
“I never asked you to keep calm, in fact Ibeggedyou not to.”
That fire glowed, the red in his irises brightening like embers. “Enough, Rae.”
“I’m sorry,sir.If you don’t want to fuck me, that’s fine. I can get it somewhere else.”
She didn’t see him move, at first he was standing there, and then she was trapped against the tree, hands framing her face.
“I’ve already told you,” he said, his lips so close to hers she could almost taste him. “You’re mine. Let anybody else touch you, and you’ll see why you were hired to kill me in the first place.”
Rae ignored the heat throbbing in her lower belly, angered by the response. “You need to stop doing this shit.”
“Doing what?”
“Pretending like you’re this fucking hero.” Rae controlled the growing panic. “I’m not a damsel, Titus. I live with my choices.”
He released her, and she instantly mourned his touch. “Let us do what you need, and then I’ll take you to see him.”
“How? We can’t risk going to a safehouse. But that doesn’t matter, because Miles may be safe now, but what about next week?”
