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The end. For her and me and our . . . fucking hell, affair? Tryst?
I know she feels it. I do too.
It really strikes me how fucking important she has become to me in such a short period of time. It’s not even the sex. It’s her. How she gets under my skin. How she can turn in a moment from mature to a brat of epic proportions. How she can be the voice of reason and pure emotion. All of the parts that make her. I’m going to miss them. She’s a woman who endlessly fascinates, who I can’t stop wanting to touch, to protect, to?—
I’m not going there.
Karlee’s young, and she can bounce back, she’ll find someone. I’ll be a distant memory in no time.
It’s my own fault I burned myself with her. It’s going to fucking kill me to let her go, and I’m beginning to suspect she might be my perfect woman. Perfect, and yet it wouldn’t ever work. I won’t sully her with me.
When this is done, I’ll keep as far from her as I can. Ghost the absolute fuck out of her because even being friends would be disastrous. I can’t keep my fucking hands to myself no matter what my intentions might be, and that’s not fair to her. She doesn’t need me screwing her over time and time again.
I’m an asshole, and she’s my catnip.
Karlee will be safe at the compound, and I need her safe when I’m out there. Someone thinks she has something, andI can only guess that it’s this fucking Smith Group. If they’re rattled enough to hit that safe house of mine, then she needs to be under hardcore protection, and if I’m not there, then that’s Leo’s place.
She leans her forehead on the glass. “Where’s this safe place?”
“Leo De Luca’s compound.”
I keep driving through Dallas and the night.
At the compound, the lights are on in the mansion. Mia comes out to greet us, enveloping Karlee in a hug as she eyes me like I’m some kind of murderer.
Scarlett follows and collects the bags, also glaring. I’m guessing Avah and Nadia are already there and have told the other women I’m the bad wolf or something. Which is fair, I guess I fucking am.
Diego comes out to fill me in as we go in. “You’re not gonna fuckin’ believe this?”
“That I’ve suddenly become a pariah?”
“Not that, asshole.” He slaps my back as we enter the house as a baby cries. Fuck, I haven’t even met the newest addition to Theo’s growing family yet. “We got guests.”
In Leo’s study, it’s like some sort of war room. Wilder is there. I remember him from when we rescued Scarlett from her disgusting family. There’s one more man.He’s holding a whiskey, there’s a gun next to him, his dark hair has streaks of gray, and he’s wearing a lot of silver rings.
O’Grady.
Must be.
People are talking at once, trying to make sense of everything. The sharp look I get from Leo tells me he’s not exactly happy, but he understands why we didn’t bring this to them earlier. Now is right.
O’Grady downs his drink and leans on the desk. “Thing is,” he said, his Irish accent strong enough that I’m sure it sets more than a few female hearts fluttering. “I’ve been all over the damn place, trying to work out who the rat is.”
Karlee’s watching like she’s at a sporting event.
“There’ve been more girls recently too,” I say.
“My school.” She goes and pulls out her computer, and Mia gives her the WiFi password. Karlee types away as Mia and Jack look over her shoulder.
Theo wanders in with a baby strapped to his chest. “I don’t like human trafficking, but girls?” He points at his kid. “Not on my fucking watch, not with my fuckin’ girl and my fuckin’ Snowflake to think about.
Christian cuts him a glance. “I don’t think they’ll come near my sister, man. And this one, she’s a little young . . .”
“Um, it seems to be concentrated at the college. At some time, the girls attended or were there with a friend,” says Karlee, but others talk over her. I go and look at the computer, and it’s way too close because everything in me goes haywire. But she’s got a point.
“Oh, I’ve been looking at that ever since your man brought it to my attention as one girl went missing on my territory.” O’Grady looks ready to shoot. “I’ve been looking into what the fuck you, De Lucas, want with my territory.”
“Trouble brewing, Leo,” says Wilder. “I just finished a job and dropped by to see O’Grady. Mentioned maybe we should talk to you since you reached out, and I can voice for Scarlett. And you.”
