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But he cuts me off again. “I swear to God, woman, I’ll gag you if I have to.”
I have the immediate urge to speak again, just to make him follow through on his promise. Before I get the chance, though, he says, “Four months. You’ve been here four fucking months. But it already seems like four years, maybe even longer. I can’t imagine running the freeport without you by my side.”
I open my mouth. Close it. He’s surprised me. Truly shocked me.
“You can’t be serious,” I finally say, and I rush on before he can cut me off because what I have to tell him is too important. “I’m a liability, not an asset. When we sat in Carver’s office, and I blackmailed him without blinking… I’m as bad as Herzog ever dreamed of being. Worse, because I acted on sheer impulse. Weaponizing power is so deep a part of me that I do it without conscious thought.”
“Watching you go after Carver was when I realized I can’t run the freeport without you. When I knew I needed you to be my Chief Operations Officer.”
“You can’t be—”
“Say you’ll take the job.”
His gaze is so intense it feels like a spear, lodging deep inside my heart.
“Say yes,” he commands.
“Yes.”
“You’ll take the job.”
“I’ll take the job.”
“And say you’ll never leave me.”
“I’ll never leave you.”
“There,” he says, like he just won an argument. And then he shifts our hands, bringing mine close to his chest. “Youarea good girl. You’remygood girl. You’re my princess. And I should have said this before, should have made this official a long time ago. I should have asked you to—”
The bedroom door opens and Nurse Allen appears with a smile. “Okay, Mr. Prince. Ms. Key. Time for a little rest now.”
“We just need a couple of minutes,” Trap says, his gaze not leaving mine.
“And you’ll get them,” Nurse Allen counters. “Right after Ms. Key takes a nap.”
The only other person in the world who handles Trap so efficiently is Susan Richards. And thinking about that makes me realize Susan must have had her hands full these past ten days. I can’t imagine that anything about the freeport has gone smoothly, with Trap sitting here beside me.
I’ve made a mess of so many things.
I start to beg Nurse Allen for a reprieve, if only to let Trap finish that one tantalizing sentence. But when I open my mouth to speak, I yawn.
“There,” Nurse Allen says. “You see? It’s time for a nap, and then you two can have a few more minutes to talk.”
She ushers Trap into the hall and closes the door before either of us can protest. And my eyes are closed before she’s back by the bed, straightening my sheets and adjusting a couple of wires. I’m asleep before she’s taken her seat near the bed.
36
TRAP
* * *
Ialmost lost her.
And Jesus Christ, I don’t know if I can take another threat like that. I don’t know if I can stand the fear that she’ll be taken away. That I’ll never see the real Alix again.
Which is why I need to get my hands on Jonas and Ansel Herzog. We’re playing a game of cat and mouse, and I’m ready to bring in a fucking Doberman.
Every minute those monsters stay alive, Alix is under threat. That’s why I’ve told Best to use any means necessary to eliminate the brothers. That’s why I’m staying in the freeport, taking advantage ofmyfucking fortress. That’s why we’re at the endgame: It’s them or me.
