“No.” Darcie’s voice was strangled. “No.” She softened her tone. “You need to listen to me for a change, Havoc.” Her shoulders moved as she sighed. “I don’t care if you only want me because I was your brother’s first,”
“That’s not what this is.” I stood straight, and she threw up a hand to stop me from going to her. Stopping me in my tracks.
“It doesn’t matter.” She said firmly. Her jaw clenched. “I won’t be the reason you go to prison or die or…”
Ignoring her outstretched hand, I pulled her into my arms. “Neither of those things are going to happen, Darcie. Maggie just worries too much.”
“They could happen though, right?” Her face lifted.
One look at her face and I knew I couldn’t lie to her. “Yeah it could happen, it won’t though.”
She stepped away from me and my arms dropped to my side.
“What is the point of us even trying to get to know each other if you are in prison? What’s the fucking point of me agreeing to stay and see where this is going if you are dead?”
I only half heard her words. My brain locked on to the fact she wanted to stay and latched on. “You’re willing to stay? You literally just said it doesn’t matter if I only want you because you were with Lucas.”
“It doesn’t matter how this started. That’s what I’m trying to say. All that matters is the future.” She narrowed her eyes. “So we are going to tell the Judge that the deal is off. We will work something out that won’t end up with you dead. Ok?”
“Sure.” I agreed quickly, nodding my head as she fell back into my arms. “If it means you stay then I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Good.” She pressed her face into my chest.
Good. I mulled over the word silently. I wished it was good. The deal had been struck. I couldn’t get out of it now even if I wanted to.
Chapter Twenty One
Darcie
We didn’t talk about it again, but it was there hanging between us.
The fact that he had lied to me. I knew he had lied. And he thought I was gullible enough to fall for it. That I believed everything he had said. Maybe I was in the wrong for letting him think I believed him but honestly, I had so much to mull over I didn’t give it much thought.
I liked him. And I knew he was attracted to me. But if he could lie to my face about backing down from the arrangement he had made on my behalf what else had he lied about?
Could what Maggie had said be true? Was he only this attentive around me because I was with Lucas first? I didn’t know any of their history. Hell, I hadn’t even known Lucas had an older brother but it was pretty clear that there was bad blood between them.
Could Havoc have pursued me so hard just to get one up on his brother? Was that what this was, his way of revenge?
I couldn’t answer that question honestly. The only person who could was Havoc himself and I had a feeling he was lying to himself as much as he was me.
“You look lost in thought Darcie.”
Maggie’s voice made me jump. Turning my head towards her, I gratefully accepted the iced tea she handed me as she took a spot next to me on the steps leading down into her backyard.
“I was just thinking how beautiful it is here.” I lied smoothly. “I could happily grow old here,” I added.
“You must suck at poker, Darcie.” Maggie gave a mirthless laugh, staring straight out ahead instead of looking at me. “Because I can tell you are lying. Want to fill me in on what’s really going on?”
Sighing, I took a sip of my drink. And the icy drink cooled my mouth. “Havoc.”
One word and her eyes narrowed. “What’s he done now?” She didn’t even sound surprised that there were problems between us.
“He’s lying to me.” I couldn’t look at her as I whispered the words.
“About?” Finally, Maggie turned her blue eyes on me. “If this is about what you heard me saying the other night? About him wanting you because you were with Lucas, you have to know I don’t really think that.”
I shook my head. “That’s not the problem. We have only known each other for a little over a week. I don’t expect him to be in love with me or anything, it’s just…” My shoulders slumped. The next words were going to be hard to say out loud. My heart sped up, bumping erratically against my chest. “He’s going to go ahead with the deal. I know he is.”
