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Santino left, and I went to the loose floorboard next to the fridge. I had a few passports, guns, ammo, and a couple burner phones in there.
I took out one of the phones, ignoring the rest of my stash, and dialed Officer Harris’s number.
He picked up before the first ring had ended. “Tell me what I just heard isn’t true.”
“Depends on what you heard.”
“You killed Maurizio.”
“Not quite. But he’s definitely dead.”
“Fucking hell. You knew we needed him alive. He had valuable information.”
He would have never talked, despite how highly Harris thought of his interrogation methods.
“I’ll get you something else, just give me a few days.”
“You have three days. If you don’t have something useful for me by then our deal’s off.”
I hung up, then turned the phone back off and placed it back into its hiding place, making sure the wooden slats were in place. Unable to fight the pull any longer, I went back into the living room and straight to where Everleigh was once again curled into a ball. She barely took up any space on the couch, and I sat down as close to her as I dared.
I brushed a hand over my face, suddenly feeling a hundred years old. “We leave tomorrow. You should try to get some sleep.”
Uncurling herself, she grabbed my hand that was resting on my thigh. “I’m sorry about your dad.”
I tightened my hand, relishing the contact, needing it to stay grounded. “I’m not. And you wouldn’t be either if you knew all the things he’d done. He was a bad man.”
“He was still your dad.”
She was right. Because despite all the horrible things he’d done, he was still my dad. I wouldn’t mourn him like a normal son. I’d never loved him. But I’d still felt a connection. He had been my last living relative.
I knew what I had to do, even if everything in me screamed to go with Everleigh. I had a responsibility, and it was time to end this.
I stood up, clenching my hand as if it would make the feeling of her skin on mine last longer. “I’ll make up the bed for you. You should get some sleep. We have a big day ahead of us.”
She didn’t protest, turning off the TV and following me without a word.
Together we put fresh sheets on the double bed, the only thing in the room. Once done, I reluctantly walked toward the door. She needed to sleep. And I needed to accept the fact that this time tomorrow she’d be gone.
“Don’t leave.” Her whispered plea halted my movements.
She looked lost standing next to the bed, her arms wrapped around herself. And my answer was there as soon as she uttered her last word. Because there was nothing I’d ever deny her. Especially not a request such as this. Holding her one last time was an offer too hard to resist.
I approached, forcing my steps to be slow and even. When I made it close enough to touch her, I stopped.
She lifted her shirt over her head, baring herself to me. She was wearing a white bra, the design simple, the effect it had on me the same as if she wore the finest lace.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded, biting her bottom lip. I moved before my brain caught up to what was happening.
Aching to find out how her lips felt against mine, I leaned down and placed a whisper-soft kiss against her mouth. The touch was fleeting, but the sparks that ignited in my body at the contact stayed behind.
Her eyes were closed, and she swayed into me, a slight smile on her face. That was enough for me to do it again, this time winding my arms around her. I never thought I’d be able to hold her like this.
Everything felt different with Everleigh. In the short time we’d spent together, she’d become more important to me than I ever thought was possible. She’d broken through my armor, and I wanted nothing more than to keep her there.
Pushing away thoughts of what could never be, I deepened the kiss, touching my tongue to her lips tentatively.
