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“I guess it’s just a gift.”
“A very good one.” He drags his brass-covered knuckles along the palm of his hand. “But the question is: is that enough?”
Silence stretches by, the room’s so quiet I can hear my own heart beating in my chest and Austin’s shallow breathing flowing from the kitchen. Axel is waiting for me to ask. I don’t want to. I fear the answer. But I can’t let my fear own me now.
“Is what enough?” I dare ask, the slightest tremble in my tone.
Please don’t notice.
A grin curls at his lips. “If I can use that to my benefit or not.”
I’m not sure if I want him to be able to or not.
“My first initial impression is yes.” He sinks down onto the edge of an end table. “However, I was made aware earlier today that you also struck a deal with August.”
August? Who the hell is that? My brows furrow, but then it clicks.
I press my lips together and take a preparing inhale through my nose. “I had to.”
“Did you?” he questions. “Because, from my experience, only the weak ever get forced into doing something they don’t want to do.”
“Perhaps,” I agree. “Unless they’re forced to because the forcer threatened something they care about.”
“Caring makes hearts weak, though, Hadley,” he tells me. “If you were strong, you’d understand that.”
I shake my head. “I disagree with you.”
He appears slightly taken aback, mildly irked, and somehow, at the same time, kind of intrigued. “Do explain your theory.”
“It’s not a theory,” I correct. “Caring about stuff is what keeps us moving forward, keeps us going. If I didn’t care about all the things I care about, then I wouldn’t be here. Just like if you didn’t care about something, you wouldn’t be here either.”
His expression is unreadable. “If that’s the case, the thing I care about that brought me here is purely revenge and protecting my name and business.”
“Okay, but you still care about them,” I point out. “Everyone has something they care about. It’s part of life.”
“And what is it you care about?” he wonders.
I tuck my hands underneath my legs and shake my head. “If I told you, then that means I don’t really care about them.”
“And why’s that?”
“Because we protect the things we care about. Just like you’re doing now with your business and family name.”
“Perhaps.” He fiddles with the brass knuckles on his hand, sliding them up and down his fingers. “But if I’m going to truly protect my name and business right now, that means I have to punish you.” He rises to his feet and the people crowding the room start to close in on me.
This is it.
This is the last thing I’m going to see before I die.
Axel holds up his hand and everyone freezes. “Don’t. I haven’t made the command yet.”
They all trade a baffled look, but no one dares speak.
Axel removes his brass knuckles, but I don’t breathe freely yet.
“You’re an interesting character, Hadley Harlyton.” He slips the brass knuckles into the back pocket of his slacks.
“Yeah, I’ve been told that before,” I dare say. “Many times, in fact.”
