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My mother used to take imaginary snapshots of these kinds of moments when I was a child. I used to catch her making a square camera shape with her fingers as she committed it all to memory.I find myself doing the same thing now, wanting to savour this image of him forever.
How can you love someone with just a glance? How do you know they’re right for you before a single word is shared?
I can’t explain what we are, or what passed between us that first day in the library. I just know there are some connections that fly without definition, ones that are strong enough to last a thousand lifetimes and break a million rules.
Finally, he hangs up and chucks his cigarette away. I brace for bad news as he climbs back into the driver’s seat.
“There’s a safehouse in Greenwich.”
My stomach lurches. “What about Danny? What about leaving the city?”
“Loaded dice, Ada.” Dusk has already fallen, but his expression is even darker. “O’Sullivan has most of the city’s cops in his pocket. He already knows about us. He has my name, my address—”
Fear filters through me. “What about your brother, Aiden? What if he—?”
“Adopted brother,” he corrects, glancing away. “I had a blood brother once. You would have liked him. He would have tried to fuck you, though. Matteo fucked everything that moved.” A ghost of a smile touches his lips. “Then, I would’ve had to kill him myself.”
“Are you claiming me, Frankie?” I say softly.
“You were mine seven years ago. You just didn’t know it.” Leaning over the gearbox, he kisses me hard, angling my face to reach every part of my mouth in a way that makes my insides flutter. “You’re mine forever, Ada. I’ll destroy anyone who tries to take you away, even ghosts.”
I’m dizzy from his words.
“Tell me Aiden’s going to be okay.”
“I have a friend moving him and my foster folks to another safehouse in Canary Wharf. It’s close to City Airport. With any luck, they’ll be on their way to Sicily….” He checks his watch. “In five hours from now. And Ada? We’re going to be on that jet, too. I can feel it.”
“And Danny?”
“Guido has eyes on O’Sullivan’s house and a contact inside. They’ll let us know when he leaves. That way, we can get in and get your brother without waking up the neighbourhood.” He lets go of my face, but I can still taste his war in my mouth. He wants to kill O’Sullivan, to rip him apart with his bare hands and avenge his family, but he wants to keep me safe as well.
“Thank you.” Crawling back across the seat, I slide on top of him again, and take his face between my hands. “Thank you for seeing me. For remembering me…”
“For chasing feathers,” he mutters.
“No regrets,” I whisper.
After a beat, he repeats it back to me, looking me dead in the eye. Holding nothing back but the truth:
“No regrets.”
* * *
We ditchthe stolen car and catch a couple of taxis to Greenwich, changing cabs every ten minutes, or whenever the drivers start asking too many questions.
Frankie keeps me locked in his arms the whole time, managing to make me feel calm and safe, despite the whole world burning down around us.
I love the smell of him on my clothes, my skin… I love that every time I move, I feel him between my thighs. That piece of me will never be Kirill’s, no matter how many times he beats or rapes me in the future, should he ever catch up with us. I gave it of my own freewill to a man who deserved it, and the Russian will never be able to erase that.
The address for the safehouse comes through as we’re passing by The Royal Observatory. By seven thirty p.m., we’re pulling up to a terraced redbrick on a quiet road in West Greenwich, with nothing patrolling the pavement except a couple of overfed tabby cats.
There’s a key safe on the side wall. We let ourselves into a narrow white lobby, and Frankie double bolts the door behind us. There’s a sterile, unused smell about the place, but it’s a castle and a kingdom after O’Sullivan’s oppression.
Feeling thirsty, I head into the kitchen to find us some glasses as Frankie’s phone starts ringing again.
“Yeah, we’re here. One weapon, no spare clips.” He catches my eye and jerks his head towards the stairs. “Go take a shower,” he mouths.
“In a minute,” I mouth back, filling up my glass and taking a sip.
