Ithink Malec still doesn’t trust me, and I have no idea what to do to change that. I need him on my side.
If he trusted me, he would’ve let me keep going with my plan inside the VIP room with Novax.
Luckily, he knocked him out hard enough for us to get another plan in motion, but I was worried he won’t even remember he saw ‘Diana’ when he wakes up. Thank god he did. And Tatiana got him good. I owe her big time.
I sit on the pavement step next to where Chris leans against the cracked concrete wall of an old building. The French run this specific alley—no cameras, no prying eyes—because this is where they hand off their drugs to street dealers.
The only reason my father allows it is because some of those dealers also work for him. It saves him the trouble of getting caught with cheap stock like theirs.
Most of my information on that came from customers and VIP rooms. Whispers. Gossip. I picked up whatever I could so I’d never be caught off guard—so I’d always be ready to hide or run.I just needed a little more time to save up and get the meds. To escape with Diana. Maybe even my mom.
But here I am. In the French’s alley, waiting for Novax’s ego to march straight to the Red Dock.
“I heard what happened,” Kayla walks over and drops down between me and Chris. “Malec can be… Malec sometimes.” She forces a smile.
But I don’t bother forcing mine as I rest my hand over hers, holding it. “Him being him saved my ass today,” I half-lie. “And I had a backup plan, so it’s all good.”
“I want to kick his glowing ass—” Her hand snaps to her mouth mid-sentence, and Chris drags a hand down her face like she’s given up on ever shutting Kayla up.
“I saw it,” I admit. “His body. The glowing scars.”
They know whatever it is he’s hiding, too, so it’s not like I need to keep it a secret from them. Right?
Their heads snap toward me.
“I won’t tell anyone, don’t worry,” I add quickly, startled by how wide their eyes are.
“He told you?” Chris steps in front of me, voice low and tense.
I shake my head. “He just told me not to touch him. I didn’t dare push further,” I say, trying to calm them. I’m not here to dig into their secrets—I’m just trying to survive.
But whenever I’m near him, something in me justknowsI can trust him. Even with my life. Right now, my kidnapper is my safe haven—and I have no idea why it hurts when he steps away from even the slightest touch—only when it comes to me. He didn’t seem to mind Onyx clinging on to him.
And then he adds to the burn with a threat to my life.
I just need to focus on Diana. I can’t let him get under my skin.
“Chris. Kayla.” Mariano’s head appears from behind the SUV across the street. “Come here.”
Chris glances between me and her father, clearly torn, like she doesn’t want to leave me here. But Bay’s voice cuts in. “I’ll stay with Roran and Onyx. You two go.” She walks over withher—Onyx. And just when I thought this day couldn’t get any worse...
Another girl who gets to cling to him like it’s nothing—yet every time I get close, it’s like he’s staring straight into fire.
No. Roran, it’s not your business.
“You know I don’t need a babysitter. I’m not going to run,” I say, lifting my head to meet Bay’s eyes.
She smiles and helps Onyx settle beside me.
I’m starting to think Onyx might actually be disabled, with the way Bay supports her, careful not to let her fall as she sits down.
A pinch of guilt claws at my chest.
“We’re not worried you’ll run,” Bay says softly. “We’re worried for your safety.”
It’s a lie. Has to be.
Malec doesn’t trust me. They all keep side-eyeing every step I take. And the way Luca and Mariano look at me... like they’re just waiting for the chance to take my head off if I breathe wrong.
