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Saint rolls his eyes and kisses my bandages on my bald head. “I’m so proud of you. I know this water thing had you terrified. Oh, and this new bald look you have going on…. I like it. It shows off your pretty face.”
I roll my eyes, and tread back toward the shore, pretending not to need the compliment as much as I do. “Whatever, Wolfie. Let’s go home. I have plans to enslave all three of you until I’m better.”
“No way,” he says. “You’re a strong woman. You can do everything yourself, remember?”
“I can,” I say, moving quickly until my feet are safely back on shore, “which is why it will be so enjoyable to enslave you all.” I grin wide and link into Luca’s arm as we make our way back up to the SUV and toward forever, where I’ve beat cancer, fallen in love three times, and made water my bitch.
Chapter Seventeen
Lucy
Six Weeks Later
The house is quiet, except for the hum from the air conditioning unit which has clicked on at least three times this hour.
Thank you heat wave.Yesterday it was one hundred and three with the heat index and today is setting up to be around one hundred and eight. If it weren’t for the air conditioning, I think we’d all be melted into a puddle in the living room somewhere.
Stretching up from the bed, I swing my legs to the side, and step out into the hallway. I haven’t been chained for the last six weeks, but I may as well have been. The men have insisted that I stay put, even after I let them off on my previously planned slavery request.
They take care of my every need and whim. Hell, Dante has been in here six out of the last seven nights reading to me from this dirty romance novel I had tucked away in my bag. I think I even saw him blush, which I didn’t think was possible. Luca and I watched every Star Wars movie start to finish and Saint laid next to me and bantered playfully about why I should stay put where I am. I like his teasing and I like giving it back. Besides, that accent and commanding tone could tell me anything and I’m pretty sure I’d eat it up.
“You awake?” Dante knocks on the door softly. The sun has just gone down, and he’s brought a bowl of ice cream. It’s green mint chip and what looks to be a brownie underneath. I might be eating too well now.
“I’m up,” I say, straightening my pillows behind my back. “I should go for a walk, though. I need to stretch my legs and you guys promised today was my last day of rest. I want to get a little freedom in before I start chemo.”
Saint and Luca walk in behind him.
“It’s a rare treat to have you all at once. Is everything okay?”
Saint nods. “The Brit got his necklace back. He just called.”
“And no one else got hurt?”
“Not yet. Apparently, the jewels within the necklace were replaced with fakes.”
“So… he’s rich. Why can’t he just replace them?”
“It’s not about the cost to this guy. It’s the meaning behind them. Apparently, he’s got your boss’s sister now. I won’t overstep my boundaries. He’s made a decision that has nothing to do with us.”
“What about Patrick? He should be the one paying. He framed me!”
Saint’s eyes widen. “Don’t worry, Patrick paid.”
I can tell by the way he’s talking what he means. “So, he’s dead?”
Saint nods once and stares toward the window before looking back at me.
I’m not sure I’m sad. The man was a weirdo who blamed me for doing something I didn’t do. He put the hit on my head to begin with. Still, it’s weird to know he’s dead.
“How do you guys get away with all this killing? Doesn’t anyone notice? Where are the cops?”
“If a man’s good at his job, he doesn’t get caught. If he gets caught, someone better at the job steps in behind him.” He pauses for a moment. “You can stop all that now.”
“All that what?” I say, staring toward Saint who’s now clutching my hand in his.
“You’re worrying about things we can’t control. Your boss made a mistake. Then your boss’s sister made a mistake in selling the diamonds after we asked her to return the necklace.”
I hate to say it, but I think he’s right. I didn’t know she sold the diamonds afterward. What was she thinking?Still, though, that doesn’t change the fact that I want to help.
