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Why does he insist on always wearing a damn suit? We’re at the safe house, for crying out loud.
I sigh. “I don’t know. One second I was watching her, doing my job, and the next, I couldn’t stay away.”
I answer honestly, unable to look him in the eyes, feeling like I just got caught taking a bite out of the forbidden apple, which was fitting, since that’s exactly what I did.
“Are you in love with her?”
“No,” I answer quickly, looking up. “I don’t know anything about her. Anything we have learned isn’t even true. Her lies have lies.” At least that’s what I’m telling myself. “Plus, she’s not ready to tell us anything.”
Bash narrows his eyes and looks like he doesn’t believe me. “Well, you better figure it out soon, because we can’t stay here forever. She’s a liability. So, if you don’t intend on continuing anything serious with her, we don’t have a choice. We have to let her go. This isn’t our war.”
Let her go.
“You can’t be serious?” I yell.
“I’m deadly serious, Nico.” He points at me, teeth gritted. “Violante knew you were at that gala. Hell, he probably thinks we ordered the attack and kidnapped her. We have to give her back to the Outfit before they attack us and let them know what we found out. They can deal with the Triad. This has nothing to do with us.”
“Is that all?” I ask.
Bash nods.
I walk out and slam the door behind me.
* * *
When I get back into the room, I see she’s eaten. That makes me happy. At least that’s one thing she isn’t going to put up a fight on. I look over onto the bed where she’s laying. She’s freshly showered with another one of my shirts on. And fuck, if I didn’t love the sight of that.
Her eyes are closed, but I can tell she isn’t sleeping. Her head is probably killing her, though. As I walk closer to her, she opens them, blinking at me with those long lashes, and she catches me checking her out before looking down.
“I don’t have any clothes,” she says, adjusting to sit up straighter.
I’m well aware she has nothing else on. She must have seen the look on my face because she started blushing.
“I’ve sent Cosima to buy you a new wardrobe. That’s why Valentina was in here earlier.”
“Oh”—she perks her head up—“thanks, I’ll pay you back of course. And she doesn’t need to get much. I won’t be here long.” She pauses. “Right?”
“No need. Your money’s no good to me. And that all depends,” I answer back.
“On what?” she asks, suddenly angry.
“On what you tell us,” I say.
“I don’t know anything other than someone is trying to kill me. I need to get to the Outfit so we can find a way to take him out.”
She’s determined.
“Someone being your uncle?”
She pauses for a moment and straightens her posture. “Yes. It’s either he goes, or I go.”
“You want to take over the Triad?”
“No,” she answers quietly. “But I don’t have a choice. Like I said, it’s either him or me. He won’t stop until I’m dead, whether I want to take over or not. You know how this world works.” Tremors lace her voice.
I nod, taking in her confession. It’s really her. The Triad princess.
“Can you show me to my room, please?” She winces as she throws her legs over the edge of the bed.
