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Justine waves a hand in the air. “Of course. That man is indestructible. But they did get some shitty news, and they’re going after Titan tonight.”
Tori’s gasp has us both looking at her as she says, “They can’t do that.”
“And why not?” I ask incredulously. “Do you not remember everything I just told you or the pictures I showed you?”
Tori lowers her voice, and her eyes plead with me. “He’s still your father, Liv. How can you just be okay with someone intent on killing him?”
I keep my head high and my words strong. “The same way he could be okay with beating the shit out of me and sending others to torture me.”
She at least has the decency to look away as I say the words. Since I really don’t want to end up hating Tori, I give Justine my attention. “Where are they now?”
Her eyes move between me and Tori. “Um, I’m not sure.”
She’s full of shit, but I understand. Why risk telling Tori anything else when there’s a chance that she could still choose to believe Titan over me. The thought is disappointing, but I can’t let my love for her distract me from what’s important: making sure that fucker can’t ever hurt anyone else again.
“Jaxon did tell me what they learned at the hospital, though,” Justine adds, which has my brows rising.
“And that would be?”
She glances around the hallway and opens her door further. “We should finish this conversation in the room.”
I reach for Tori’s wrist, grabbing on to make sure she doesn’t have any ideas about going anywhere else. “Gladly,” I say, walking in with dead weight behind me.
I’ll make my best friend see reason. I won’t let Titan take anything else from me. Not again.
* * *
An hour later,I still haven’t heard from Luca, but I’ve at least learned the whole truth right alongside Tori. It’s easier for me to believe because I’ve seen the evil within Titan’s eyes, while Tori has only seen the feigned kindness.
Still, it seems as if we’re finally getting to her. There’s too much that we’ve shared for her not to see some truth in the situation, but then again, her innocence just might be her undoing. She wants to believe the best in people, but sometimes that’s just not possible.
Not when we’re surrounded by wolves in sheep’s clothing.
“So, what now?” Tori asks when we get back to the apartment, just the two of us.
“Now, I’m going to ask a favor of you,” I say, grabbing her hand and leading her to the couch again.
She blinks at me, eyes glossy. “You’re not like them.”
“I’m not like my father,” I correct. “I don’t do bad things for personal gain, but I have changed. I told Luca that I wanted to see this through. That I want to be there when he finally has my father where he needs him in order to finish this. I know it’s hard for you to believe that things like this exist in the real world when you’ve only heard about the bad parts and not seen them with your own eyes.”
Her head drops and lip quivers. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I thought Luca had…”
“I know what you thought,” I cut in. “And I also know you’re still struggling with the truth, and that’s okay. I don’t hold that against you, but I need you not to hold this against me. I need to know that when I ask you to stay here, without a phone, locked in this apartment, that you’ll know I’m only doing what I think is best to keep everyone safe.”
“Everyone but Christopher,” she says quietly.
“Yes, because he’s a murdering psychopath.” I don’t back down from my stance, and I’m glad when she doesn’t raise another argument. “I’m going to leave you in this apartment, and I promise you’ll be protected here. Nobody will lay a hand on you, and when I come back, the worst will be over. We can find a new normal.”
She finally looks back up at me. “Things won’t ever be the same, will they?”
Even at twenty-nine years old, she’s still intent on believing that there’s only good in the world. If only we could all live in that reality.
I grab both of her hands and smile softly at my best friend as I shake my head. “I’ve changed, and I’m not sorry about who I’m becoming or who I’m doing it with.”
She blushes and tries to fight a grin. “I heard what Luca said to you earlier. When you were in the bedroom.”
I think back to what feels like days ago, instead of hours. He’d been commanding, telling me to be naked and talking openly about fucking me. Yeah, that attitude is one of the many things that draws me to him. I won’t deny that.
