Then she comes to her senses and reverts back into herself. The walls come back up and her expression hardens.
“Fine,” she says coolly, turning on her heel and stalking toward the backroom. “I’ll get my stuff and go. I’ll find somewhere else to spendthe night.”
I track her, my boots heavy on the wooden floor.
It only takes her a couple seconds to snatch her few belongings off the cot in the backroom and start shoving them into a backpack.
“Not now,” she says, back turned to me. Yet she senses my presence anyway. “The pub’s closing. You should leave.”
“I will… once you’re done packing. You’ll be coming with me.”
She whirls around, her large dark eyes blazing behind her glasses. “Back off. I decide where I go.”
“We’ve been through this, girl. The decision’s not yours to make. Not ’til this thing’s solved.”
“Until what’s solved? What are you even talking about? I didn’t ask for your help. I didn’t ask for any of this!”
“Doesn’t matter what you asked for. You think I asked for you and your damn problems to come into my life?” I rumble back at her. “Things are more complicated than your little hissy fits about autonomy. By involving yourself with this pub, you’ve brought your problems to our doorstep. It just so happens we’ve already got our own problems with the Bratva. See how that compounds things?
“So consider yourself ours for the time being. Our territory. Our possession. The Bratva wants you back, and we’re the only thing in their way, preventing that from happening.” I close the gap between us, glaring into her eyes and watching my reflection in them. “That means you’re in my fucking custody ’til this is over. Got it?”
A range of emotions flits across her heart-shaped face. Her glasses have slipped down her nose, and she nudges them back up before turning to look at her bookbag and the few other belongings she has. Then she heaves a long, slow sigh.
“For the record, I’mnotokay with this.”
“That makes two of us. Grab your shit and let’s go.”
I turn on my heel and stalk out of the room. Jhene isn’t far behind—she collects her few things and follows in my wake.
It occurs to me as I nod goodnight at Tom that I’m all she’s got.
I really am the only thing standing between her and the Bratva…
SIX
Jhene
When we leave the Banshee,I expect Killian to drag me back to his cramped studio apartment. Instead he steers me down the block in the opposite direction.
“Where are we going?” I quicken my pace, struggling to keep up with his long strides.
“You’ll see.”
As helpful as always.
A few minutes later, we stop at a corner street diner that has specks of dried grease on the windows and a poster advertising a French toast special.
The name of the place according to the sign out front? Simply and aptly named DINER.
Killian holds the door open and jerks his chin for me to go inside.
I hesitate on the threshold, still confused. “I thought we were going to your place.”
“We are. After.”
“Afterwhat?”
“After you stop asking so many goddamn questions and sit your ass down.”
