I pull her in, her lips an inch away from mine. “Behave, or you won’t be able to sit at all, little dove.”
She giggles, cheeks burning, and rises on her tiptoes to kiss me. “I’ll be waiting for my punishment,” she teases, then walks away, swaying her hips. James follows her to his Range Rover, slipping his phone into his pocket when he catches my glare before driving her away.
I turn to Kane and Hugo’s grim faces. “This better be fucking good.”
We head to my old bedroom, upstairs, which is still intact, just as I left it four years ago. Hugo plops himself on the bed, lying on his side, propped on an elbow, while Kane leans against the door, blocking the exit.
Was she right? Is this a fucking intervention?
Fuck them, if it is. I light a cigarette and let Kane, the purist, breathe in the poison. That will make this go faster. It feels awfully similar to that night in London, outside the police station, when Berkeley ruined my fucking life. I havebeen walking around with a ticking time bomb strapped to my chest ever since. What damage does he plan to curse me with today?
“One of you, talk,” I mutter when no one speaks.
“It’s time, Mase,” Kane responds.
“Talk straight, fucker. I’m not in the mood for your riddles.”
“Calm the fuck down and listen.” Hugo gestures.
The fuck? Hugo is on Kane’s side now? The fuck did I miss?
My eyes snap to Kane, an eyebrow raised in question.
“Reginald is planning on making a deal with Daniel Etheridge. He’s going to take the fall.”
“Has he lost his fucking mind?” I bark. “He’ll take everyone down with him.”
“There isn’t much choice here.” Kane lifts a shoulder. “Etheridge is closing in every day. The fucker is relentless. It’s a matter of time until Eva finds out. And then this will all be for nothing. You are going to cost us everything because you can’t let that fucking girl go.”
“Get fucked. I’m not giving her up just because you and your father can’t keep your house in order. So, unless you have any other ideas…”
“We do.” Hugo smirks.
“We assumed that’s what you would say.” Kane takes a guarded step closer and places his hands in his pockets. “So, we have another suggestion on how to stop Daniel Etheridge.”
“I’m all ears.” I blow the smoke out.
“He’ll stop if he thinks his sister is in danger.”
“Her guard is away,” Hugo grins like the devious prick he is. “Perfect timing. Talk to your grandfather and take her to Sicily.”
“The fuck are you two talking about? There is no way she’ll come.”
“She’s going to run the second she finds out, mate.” Hugo flings his arm wide. “What are you going to do then?”
I stare between the two of them, the cigarette hanging off my fingers, ashes falling to the windowsill.
“Think fast, Mase,” Hugo urges. “Unless my old man can make him budge, Reginald is making the call tomorrow.”
I don’t go back to The Barrel. Instead, I head for a long ride, tracing the border of Fort for hours. I still see her bloodied face in the rearview mirror sometimes. Usually, when I’m away from her for too long. But I need a beat tonight. A pause.
I come to a halt at the hilltop and dismount, staring at the Fort lights glimmering below as the clock ticks by. The weight on my chest feels heavier than ever. It grows every day, but tonight, it feels like it will crush me.
Eva fell into my arms like a broken bird and slowly chipped her way into me. As fierce as hunger, as ruthless as need. Even as I stand here, I can feel her, like a splinter wedged under my skin. She lives inside me. Carved into bone. I can’t cut her out any more than I can rip out my lungs.
There is nothing I won’t do for that girl.
But can I dothis?
