He wipes his mouth, defiance burning in his gaze. “You don’t get to decide that. Fuck. Off.”
“Unfortunately, I do,” I quip back with a lopsided grin. “I do, Ruas. You know that. I know. Get the fuck in the car, Zayden.”
He steps around me, grumbling the words. “No.”
Thankfully, the car is parked right around here, and if I have to use a little force, then so fucking be it—he’s getting in that car one way or another. I hate myself for what I do, but I use the only weapon strong enough to disarm him. No, not the gun at my hip, but his leash. His best friend, Nico.
“You want to help Nico?” I ask quietly. “Then get in.”
Zayden’s jaw tightens, but the mention of Nico freezes him. The fight drains from his shoulders, replaced by something heavier—guilt and maybe fear. He exhales through his nose, muttering a curse, and finally storms past me. I’m on his heels as he beelines to the Benz, pulling out the key from my pocket. I click the unlock button, running past him and opening the door like a true gentleman. He slides into the passenger seat, and I shut the door before he can change his mind.
I slip inside beside him and turn on the engine, headlights cutting through the parking lot as I pull us out of here. The drive is quiet. Streetlights cast a warm glow inside the car. Zayden keeps his eyes on the window; his mouth shut and refuses to look at me.Brat.
My grip tightens around the wheel. The city continues to blur into streaks of gold. Every turn feels like a countdown to the moment he’ll ask what I’m doing, why I’m dragging him deeper into this mess. It must be my conscience playing tricks on me, because he doesn’t ask.
When I reach the hilltops, he moves forward. And by the time we turn to my street, the world feels smaller. The mansion sits on the highest peak of the street, taking up an entire corner, surrounded by high walls and a golden gate. It’s quiet here, too. Zayden turns to me, his lips parting to speak before slamming back shut. I park, kill the engine, and step out.
Zayden hesitates before following, his movements stiff and guarded. He stops before reaching the front door, glancing over his shoulder and asking, “Why am I here?”
“I need you to trust me,” I say, shoving my hands in my pockets. I know it's an impossible task. I’m asking for a lot out of someone I’ve taken so much from. “This is the only place I feel safe enough to talk.”
His dark eyes flicker between me and the mansion, suspicion written across every line on his face. The golden gate hums shut behind us, locking out the world we just escaped. And from the looks of it, Lucia isn’t here. He doesn’t move. His shoulders rise and fall, slow and deliberate.
“You really think this place is safe?”
“Not necessarily,” I respond truthfully. “Just a better choice.”
The porch light buzzes overhead, throwing fractured shadows across the marble steps. I shove my hands deeper into my pockets, fighting the urge to reach for him—to prove to him I’mnot the monster he thinks I am. Zayden studies me for a long moment, then exhales, easing the tension in his jaw enough for exhaustion to show through. I push open the door, allowing him the freedom to decide. He walks past me, making sure to shoulder check me as he does.
I follow behind him, closing the door after me. He turns. “You said you wanted to talk,” he mutters. “So, talk.”
I let out a sigh.
My eyes take in my hell. The opulence, high ceilings, the sterile pristine of the white bone walls, and grand master stairs have pressure building behind my eyes. “Funny that this is the only place I can think straight,” I tell him without looking back at him. “Because no one ever listens.”
I hear him chuckle behind me. “Sure. Or maybe it’s a place where no one can see what you’re hiding.”
I shrug. “Maybe both.”
I turn then, watching as he shakes his head, muttering something under his breath. The more I drink him in, the thirstier I get… What is it with me and this fascination that consumes me? Ezra's voice still lingers, slithering its way into my head.
You have something to lose.
With a smile, I meet Zayden’s scowl, and he’s right. And that’s exactly why I brought Zayden here.
Chapter Twenty- Six
Zayden
Speechless….
That’s what I am after, hearing Thiago’s plan.
I blink, hard. Two times. My gaze falls back on Safra, who leans into his balcony, cigarette dangling between his lips. I’m sure my mouth hangs open, and I’m not sure if I have the power to close it. Not when his words continue to cycle through every crevice of my mind. The look on his face is enough to chip at the armor, shaking something loose inside my chest… making this unbearable… and I look away.
“Zayden…” he murmurs. His hand lands on my knee, my gaze dropping to where it lies, and I swallow down the lump lodged inside my throat. I blink, letting out an exhale, and opening my mouth to speak, only for the words to never come.
“Talk to me, Ruas.” He says it like he’s begging, and it makes my heart clench.
