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She’s quiet for a minute, glancing over her shoulder at the men trailing behind us. “Are these the same people that wanted you to marry Killian?”
I’d almost forgotten the lie I’d initially told my friends about my little engagement. “Er, no. That’s…another thing. He thought that deal would help save him from this one. But I’m not so sure it will anymore.”
Sadie shakes her head. “Oh my God, Cara, I wish I could help. Does your father need any legal assistance? I think my parents might be able to help.”
I give a short laugh. My father has a slew of lawyers—those that aren’t public defenders and worth ten times what Sadie’s parents charge. “No, he’ll be—fine.”
“You sure?” She doesn’t look convinced. But how could I tell her the truth? That my father has basically used me as the shovel to try and get out of the pile of shit he’s buried himself in. That he’s currently in the hospital, nearly half-burned from an explosive set at our headquarters by the fucking Bratva. I’m just not ready to bring my two worlds together yet.
We stop just outside Dodge. Sadie looks like she wants to say more but seems to think better of it. “If you need anything, just call me, okay? And please, for fuck’s sake, answer your damn phone. Kimmy was about to go to your house and knock down that stupid gate.”
I can’t help but crack a smile, though it feels forced. “I will. I guess I just forgot to charge it after the…fire.”
Sadie gives me a pointed look. “Well, charge it. And I’ll see you later, okay?” She sounds hopeful. But I’m not sure if Killian would even allow me to spend time with my friends right now. The thought makes me even more bitter and resentful than before.
“Yeah,” I tell her, trying to sound reassuring. “I’ll call you guys later.”
I watch as she heads across the street to her own building. Just before I turn to head into mine, I stop, glancing back at the bodyguards. Killian’s nowhere to be seen. Before the men can follow me up the steps, I stop them. “I’ll just be inside. And I’m pretty sure you can’t come to class with me,” I point out. “Just…stay out here. I’ll be out right after.”
They exchange quick looks, none of them looking pleased. But what were they going to do? Disobey me? If Killian and I did marry, I’d technically be their boss as well. Or at least the boss’s wife. Reluctantly, they stay outside, leaving me to head in alone.
I pull out my phone and my charger, planning on plugging it in while I’m in class. A part of me feels terrible for not making sure I let my friends know I was okay. Especially since I knew my father’s office attack would make the news at some point. Owen might have been able to spin it off as just a fire, but my friends would still be worried about me. Especially when I hadn’t answered their texts and calls for over a day.
Keeping this whole other life from them was getting to be more complicated than before. I’d been able to keep them separate, for the most part, living one life here and another back home. But now…now things were getting too messy, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I slip up and my friends realize the truth. I know they wouldn’t judge too harshly. They’d known me for years. We’d been through too much together. But I also know just how much this other world can weigh, and I’m not so sure they’d be able to handle it. Their life was simple, and being the daughter of an Irish mob boss was…not.
I’m so caught up in my thoughts that I barely notice how empty the hall is. It’s a little weird, but I could just be a tad early. It’s not like my phone is able to give me the right time, and there’s no clock in this hallway. I make my way to my classroom, slipping inside one of the two doors and heading straight towards the desk closest to the outlet before anyone else can get to it.
The classroom is smaller than others, with around thirty desks set up before a smart board near the front. There’s one door at the back of the room and another at the front. Each desk is set up in a row of two. There’s not much on the walls, just a few posters about project management techniques and the like. In other words, super boring.
Plugging in my phone, I set it on the desktop, letting my tote bag fall to the floor as I wait for it to turn on. The window drapes are shut, making the room feel darker than normal. Frowning, I glance up, finally realizing just how quiet the room is.
There’s no one here.
My phone lights up as it finally turns on, the clock flashing onto the screen. I frown. I’m not early to class at all. I’m actually five minutes late. And Killian would have told me if my class was canceled—he’d make it his business to know.
Which means people should be here.
But I’m the only one.
35
KILLIAN
Niccolo and I wait with the Arco brothers until I see Sadie catch up with Cara before he starts the car again. I have other business to attend to—mainly heading back to Dante’s to begin working out the marriage details. Besides, Cara has five guards on her tail with more posted around her building disguised as students, so I’m sure she’ll be fine for at least an hour until I return.
We back out of our parking space, turning to merge onto the street, when a black SUV catches my eye. Two men sit in front, both bald and looking far too intimidating to be students. A muzzle flashes in the light just as we pass the car.
“Down!” I duck, reaching across the console to yank Niccolo beneath the windows. The car swerves, crashing into another parked vehicle, nearly sending us flying through the front windshield. I hear Declan cursing behind us.
Two shots ring out, pinging against the bulletproof glass of our car. Niccolo swears as I yank two guns from the glove box, handing him one. More safety clicks sound from the backseat. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch the brothers pulling out their own guns.
“Russians?” Cain asks, clicking back the safety. I dig out extra clips, making sure we have at least enough to hold us off until backup arrives.
“Probably,” I snap. “Someone text Dante. Now. And fucking cover me.”
I kick open the door, crouching onto the sidewalk. The black SUV is behind us now. Both men are tucked safely behind their own doors, the barrels of their guns set between the hinges and the frame. I glance between them and the closest cover—a security guard box that just so happens to be fucking empty. Where the hell is campus security?
And the students…
