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“No—”
“That shit isn’t going to work.”
“That’s not what I’m doing—”
“Bullshit,” he snapped. “How stupid do you think I am?”
“I was just pointing it out—”
“I don’t want you, Laura. The second you stabbed me in the back, I despised you. Is that what you want to hear from me? I deserve a woman who judges me based on who I am, not what I do. You never appreciated me.”
I disagreed, but there was no point in making an argument. “Goodbye, Bartholomew.” I hung up the phone, knowing I had to sever contact. Otherwise, I’d start sobbing right there on the sidewalk with tons of people around.
I took a breath then looked at my phone, seeing that the driver was still five minutes away. I just wanted to go to my hotel and lie in bed…and cry until I fell asleep.
Minutes later, my phone started to ring again.
It was him.
I was so upset, I almost didn’t answer.
Almost.
I took the call but didn’t say anything.
When he spoke, his voice was calm. “I can’t protect you this time, Laura.”
“I never expected you to.”
“I broke my word for you once, and I won’t do it again.”
“I know.”
He stayed quiet on the phone for a long time. There was nothing left to say, but he didn’t want to hang up. “Be careful.”
9
BARTHOLOMEW
I sat in the armchair in the parlor, in my sweatpants and nothing else. The phone was gripped tight in my hand, the corner of the metal resting against the side of my face. Footsteps sounded behind me.
“Bartholomew?”
I stared out the windows to see the city in daylight. I’d been home for hours, but I was too worked up to sleep. When I looked in the mirror, my eyes were bloodshot like I used the drugs I pushed on the streets.
Bleu came into the room and looked directly at me. “Is this a bad time?”
Every moment of every fucking day was a bad time. “What did you discover?”
He hesitated, and that told me it was bad news. “The guys are pretty guarded toward me. They know I’m loyal to you.”
I stared out the window again. I had to double the security around me at all times, even though it wouldn’t make muchdifference. The men who wanted to kill me could be the ones put on guard to protect me. I had to be prepared for war at any moment. Guns were tucked in hiding places throughout my home. I slept with an assault rifle beside me instead of a woman. “I’ll speak to him privately.”
“You think that’s a good idea?”
I looked at him.
Bleu immediately dropped his gaze, knowing he’d said the wrong thing.
