Page 114 of Violent Pawn

She spins back around and turns on the car. “I’m not sure. Zeno didn’t mention him dropping by. Let’s go home and figure that out.”

I don’t want to figure it out. I want him to stick to his deal and remain out of my life. Keep away so my confused, heartbroken soul isn’t tempted.

Imanage to hold off until I’ve showered and eaten. Seated in the centre of my bed, message typed onto my phone, I click send and end the months’ long fact of missing his name on my phone.

Me

Where are you?

Nero

Airport.

Me

Why were you here?

Nero

To get you out

Me

What does that mean?

Nero

Exactly what I said. I was going to turn myself in and claim the weapons were mine. You’d walk free. Z would convince the Commission to a prisoner swap. Happens all the time. I’d be returned home and left to Italian authorities to deal with, then would go free thanks to the CN’s influence.

He would have got himself arrested for me. My tongue swipes my bottom lip as I mentally prepare my next few questions for him, trying to ignore the pain in my chest making it impossible to breathe.

Me

If that didn’t work?

Nero

You’re worth it.

Oh.

Me

You’d have gone to jail for nothing. You didn’t do anything wrong.

Nero

Neither did you. At least, they were technically our guns, so it’s more my problem than yours.

Me

You came all the way to Russia in order to get arrested. Zeno didn’t warn Van.

Nero

He didn’t know. I presented the idea. He ordered me to stay out of it. You weren’t supposed to see me.

He would have come all this way to get himself arrested, to end up hiding when realizing his plan was unnecessary.