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“I feel okay. I just can’t keep my eyes open.”
I settle her on the bed and turn on the lamp to pull the covers out from beneath her. “Things will be better in the morning.”
It’s a lie. We both know it. And I’m thankful she’s too tired to call me on it.
She nestles onto her side, her blinks becoming longer and longer.
“Before you pass out, I’ve got something for you.” I retreat to the walk-in robe and open the safe hidden behind the same wall of clothes concealing the entry to the panic room. After a four-digit pin-code entry, I retrieve a pistol from the stash of weapons and make my way back to her.
“Here.” I hand over the gun.
She sits up, blinking away some of the lethargy. “You’re letting me have this?”
“You said you wanted one.”
“Yeah. I just didn’t think you’d allow it.” She nibbles her lower lip, trekking her attention over the weapon as she tilts it back and forth. “Which is kind of a shame, because I was hating you just fine until now.”
“You didn’t give me much choice. It turns out I don’t like you hating me all that much.”
“Then maybe you should stop being a dick.”
I grin. “I wouldn’t hold your breath.” I reach for the weapon and release the clip to show her the bullets. “It’s fully loaded. So be fucking careful, okay? No pulling it out when something hard rubs up against you later.”
She rolls her eyes and slinks under the sheet, sliding the pistol under her pillow. “You better believe I will.”
“You wouldn’t do that to me. You love my cock too much.”
“With my current level of a
I chuckle and lean forward to steal a kiss.
She grumbles for a brief second but those sultry lips still part beneath mine. “Get out of here.”
“I’m going.” I backtrack. “But I’ll be back later.”
I walk for the door, the rustle of sheets following me.
“Cole?”
I stop in the hall and glance over my shoulder. The sight of her in my bed is too fucking natural. Like she’s meant to be there. “Hmm?”
“No matter how much I think about it, I still can’t picture you killing your own father. I don’t want to believe you can do it.”
There’s that inescapable divide again. The one thing standing between us.
“Who knows? Maybe I can’t.”
Her brows pull tight. “Are you questioning yourself? Are you thinking you can’t go through with it?”
“I’m thinking only time will tell. Now get some rest.” I trudge into the living room, trying to ignore how things will change between us once I take Luther down.
She’ll see me differently. Worse than ever before. And there’s nothing I can do about it.
“How’d you do?” Luca asks from the table.
“She passed out before her head hit the pillow.” I reclaim my seat and latch onto the freshly topped mug of coffee.
“Did she figure out you sedated her?”
“Not yet.” I grab a sandwich and sink my teeth into the stale bread. “But I’m sure she will.”
He copies what I do. Bite for bite. Drink for drink. “You like her, don’t you?”
“Jesus Christ.” I contemplate lying. Or denying an answer. Both would work as well as pleading the fifth. “She’s an indulgence.”
“Is that all?”
I ignore him and take a larger bite, filling my mouth to capacity.
“You let Amar jump from the boat without so much as a fucking bruise when I’ve heard you make an execution order for far less.”
I take another bite. “Would you have preferred if I made you an accomplice to murder right in front of a Fed?”
“You were going to do it with Luther. Why was Amar different, apart from Anissa making it clear she didn’t want you to kill him?” He leans back in his chair, relaxed. “You drugged her. Abducted her. Made unending demands of her. Yet you’re worried murder is crossing the line? That excuse is bullshit, and a clear attempt to hide the fact she has your balls tightly grasped in her fist.”
“I’d be careful where you take this conversation. My patience is threadbare.”
“I never said it was a bad thing,” he mutters. “Only something I hope you’re conscious of.”
I’m fucking conscious. Her hold over me hasn’t left the forefront of my mind since she came into my life.
“Do you think it was a smart move to sedate her considering the looming threat?”
I sedated her because of the threat. “I gather I’m not the only one who thinks Luther isn’t done with us.”
“You made demands of him today. Whether he’s your father or not, I think he’s going to want to do something to save face.”
“Well, whether he does or doesn’t, it’s best for her if she sleeps through it. If he comes here, I’ll put her in the panic room.”
“And if we’re gu
“Then I’m going to hope like hell nobody finds where she is until Hunt and Decker arrive.”
Luca straightens and leans forward, his elbows pressed to the table. “They’re on their way?”
“I assume so. The pilot said my sister made travel arrangements for herself and three others. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out Hunt and Decker are behind the jet’s disappearance.”
“It couldn’t be Layla and Benji?”
“They wouldn’t risk bringing Stella here, and Keira is the only person they trust to look after their kid. It has to be Deck, Hunt, and Sarah.”
“Which will bring even more issues.”
“Yep.” If Decker shows up here, I’ll have to tell him about Pe
“But,” Luca continues, “with seven of us able to work together, maybe we could finish this.”
“If we don’t get ambushed between now and then.”
“Yeah.” He sighs. “That’s a big if.”
He’s more adamant of the danger than I am, which doesn’t sit well with me.
I’d like to think I know my father better than anyone. Only problem is, my head is now clouded with worry for my FBI agent.
“Why don’t you go get some sleep?” He yawns and stretches his neck from side to side. “Rest while you can.”
“There’s no way I can switch off right now. You go.” I jerk my chin at him. “I’ll take first watch.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” I deserve to spend more time thinking about what I dragged Anissa into. I need to let that shit percolate as long as possible to get a full dose of punishment.
“Call out when you want to switch.” He pushes from the table and walks across the room, leaving me alone with my regret.
“Luca.” I focus on him as he reaches the hall. “Before you go, tell me why you think Luther is likely to come out here. Do you anticipate he’ll want to make amends or will he want to drag me over the coals for calling him out on his bullshit?”
“I think it’s neither.” His expression becomes bleak. “If he comes out here, my bet is that it’s for Anissa.”
Dread slithers its insidious fingers down my spine. “Why?”
“Because she intrigued him enough to get one of his men to take her away from you. Then you went and told him she was a Fed, and the daughter of someone who owed him a stack of money. And whether it was from liking her as a person or a possession, you made it fucking clear you would guard her with your life.”
Then I made demands for him to punish the prick who dared to touch her.
I encouraged Luther’s interest with every single one of my reactions.
Fuck.
“Honestly, Cole, if Luther comes out here, I’m not worried about us. My concern will only be for her.”