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“That’s not what I mean.” He looked down at our joined hands. “Nik, Lacey, me, Scarlett, Lucian—we’re all part of the same world. Since you came out of La Cruzona, every safe place, every bit of protection, every dollar you’ve had access to has come through one of us. I told you that you were free to go anywhere, but I’m still the one giving you the means to do it.”

I waited.

“The Draviks are yours. Your blood. Your mother’s family. If you want them, you could have family, money, protection, and somewhere to belong completely outside my world.” His eyes met mine. “You wouldn’t need me for any of it.”

Something in the way he said it made my stomach drop. Until then, I thought we were talking about all the new pieces of my life I had to sort through. Suddenly, it sounded as though Lachlan was explaining why I might be better off building that life without him.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you need to know it.”

“I do know it. I’m standing here trying to tell you I don’t know what any of it means for my future yet.”

“And I’m saying there’s no rush to figure it out.” He took a breath. “But I don’t want you building the rest of your life around me before you’ve had a chance to find out what your options are.”

That hurt.

“Do you think that’s what I’ve been doing?”

“I think you’ve been free for five days.”

I pulled my hand slightly against his, but he didn’t let go.

“You told me you wanted to stay with me on the side of a mountain a few hours after Rafael died, before you’d had one ordinary day of freedom.”

“And?”

“And every selfish part of me wants to take you at your word, bring you home, put you in my bed, and never ask another fucking question about it.”

My heart kicked hard against my ribs.

“Then what’s stopping you?”

“Making sure I don’t become another cage simply because mine feels better than Ciro’s did.”

I stared at him.

That was so far from how I saw him that for a second I couldn’t answer.

“You are nothing like Ciro.”

“I know I’m not.” His voice roughened. “But look at the reality, Isabella. My life is The Syndicate, Xyst, guns, enemies, and men who settle problems in ways your grandparents would never want for their granddaughter. You’ve been in Manhattan two days. You haven’t had time to find out whether you even like the place, much less whether you want my world wrapped around the rest of your life.”

Somehow the conversation had shifted while I wasn’t watching.

I had been telling him I was overwhelmed.

He was starting to sound as though he was giving me reasons to leave.

“Are you trying to tell me I’d be better off with them?”

“I’m telling you they can give you things I can’t.”

“That isn’t what I asked.”

His jaw tightened.

“Maybe they can give you a safer, happier life than I can.”