I glare at him. “Seriously? You’re gonna pull theclub businesscard on me? I don’t see a patch on your back. And it’s pretty clear how much you hate Axe. How loyal can you be?”
“It’s not about loyalty, it’s about survival. You more than anyone should understand the necessity of keeping secrets that your life might depend on.”
“I can keep my mouth shut. Especially about something that might get you killed.”
“You sure? You sending a fucking skull and crossbones to my house says otherwise.”
Right. Keegan. But that was different. A momentary slip. I shouldn’t have let my desperation get the better of me. But at least the man hunting me is dead. Though I also might have just breathed life back into a war that was settled decades ago. And I dragged Linc into it with me. Axe finds out what happened, that Decker is the one who laid the final blow, it’ll be just as bad for him as it will be for me.
“You need another apology?” I ask.
“No.”
“Then move on. I did what I did. We’ve got bigger problems.” I take a breath. “But thank you for… you know. For…” I can’t quite say it.
“Blowing his brains out all over my garage?” he says with a too-easy smile.
I scan the small room, inspecting the ceiling, concrete floors, the tools affixed to the wall, the small beer fridge. Despite howclean the place looks, I can’t help the shiver that runs up my spine.
“Yes. Thank you for… for that.” I clear my throat. “They’ll send someone else.”
This is far from over. The question isn’tifthey’ll come, it’swhen.
“I have his phone. I’m keeping his little friends abreast of his movements. They don’t know he’s dead yet.”
“And when they do?”
He winces. “Haven’t thought that far ahead.”
“And… the product you stole?”
His expression darkens. “Youstole that product. And it’s safe. Maybe I can use it as leverage. I don’t know. I’ll figure it out.”
He steps closer. Air snags in my throat when I look at him again. The man who killed for me. Whose eyes keep dropping to my lips.
He cups my chin, tipping it up. I let him linger there, let his fingers trace over my skin as I will my own to stay in place.
“Need you to know that I thought about it,” he says. “Handing you over to him. I wouldn’t have done it. Couldn’t have. But it crossed my mind. He offered me a deal, and I thought about taking it. Just for a second.”
I take a step back, my stomach dropping, anger sparking. “Hell of an admission, Linc.”
His grip on me tightens. “Just being honest.”
I swallow. “So? Why didn’t you?”
He’s quiet a long time, those amber eyes of his boring into mine. Tension builds in the air as I wait, as he slides his hand back and weaves it in my hair.
“I forget sometimes,” he says finally, casually resting his other hand on my waist.
My heart beats in my throat. In my ears.
“Who I’m supposed to be,” he murmurs. “And maybe you’ve reminded me. That there’s a little good left. That I haven’t”—he takes a breath—“that I haven’t completely lost myself.”
“That’s what it took to remind you of what a conscience is?” I scoff. “A man offering to trade drugs and money for my life? How fucking big of you. Happy to be the one to help you through your little crisis.”
His lips twitch. “When you put it like that, it kind of makes me sound like an asshole.”
“Your words. Why are you telling me all this?”
