“Why can’t I tell Benny?”
“Because I don’t trust him not to talk to his dear bestie about it. Those are my terms. Will you accept, or is the puppy facing the wolf on his own?” He pouted.
As if I had a choice.
“Fine.”
“You agree? Say the terms out loud, in full, all in one go. Swear it. I accept verbal contracts only. Paper trails are such pesky things.”
I really didn’t know what to make of Shady. All I knew was, somewhat ironically, he was the only light I could see in the shadows that enveloped me. I was desperate. And he could help. So I didn’t question him.
“I swear… if you help Benny and me to kill Leonandget away with it, I will sell Lorens Industries to Noctis Tech… provided you give Rachel Forrester and Matthew Kimberly a job.”
His finger twirled to keep me talking.
“I will not discuss any of these terms with anyone belonging to the Kovats family.”
He twirled his finger again.
“Or… Benny.”
“Marvelous. We have ourselves a deal, friend. Now, I expect you’d very much like to go home.”
Home. I wanted it more than anything. I just didn’t know what would be waiting for me there.
forty-nine
Harper
HOME.
I was certain the scream of Shady’s bike had woken the whole neighborhood as he left a cloud of dust in his departure.
It didn’t matter.
I stared at the house in front of me. Benny’s house.
Home.
I inhaled deeply and approached the front door. Would he still want me here? I didn’t have anywhere else to go.
Was this still my home too?
I swallowed as I raised a fist to knock.
The door opened before my hand made contact with it, and Benny’s arms were around me.
I was completely enveloped by him. He replaced the chill, and the shadows, the darkness with his light. No part of me was cold, because all of me was consumed by his warmth.
My tears were sudden and violent.
I shattered into pieces, and he held me together.
As one, we sank to the floor in the open doorway.
I clawed at him to keep him to me as if I’d die if he let me go, because maybe I would. The ache in my chest seemed to indicatethat it would rip right open if I had to have so much as an inch of space between us again.
I sobbed, and so did he.
