by Eden Summers
“But ended up working for them instead? Did they force you? Threaten you?”
“No.” Despite her probably wanting a different answer, I tell her, “I’m here by choice.”
“You gave up being a SEAL to work for Cole Torian?”
“Not exactly. I gave up for the love of my brother. It was a case of leaving my post too often to maintain my role. And the last time was in the middle of an op. But Benji needed me, and he’s all I’ve got. I’d do anything for him. So I acted against instructions not to abandon my post. Even ignored my superior’s threats to have me court marshalled.”
There’s a beat of silence where her hand freezes on my chest. “Weren’t you worried?”
“I was more worried for my brother.”
There’s another pause, then, “Did they go through with their threat to court martial?”
“You bet your ass they did. I was dishonorably discharged.”
The only stability I’d ever had in my life was gone. I’d been left with nothing. Nothing but Benji in a fucked-up situation.
“That’s a heavy price to pay for being the older sibling.”
“I’m not older. My big brother has a few years on me. Doesn’t change anything though. It’s how it’s always been. He gets in trouble, and I try my best to drag him out of it.” I place my hands under my head, feigning calm. “Isn’t that what family are for?”
“I don’t know. It’s been a long time since I’ve had one. I barely remember what it’s like anymore.” She sucks in a deep breath and sighs. “How about your scars? Are they from your time as a SEAL or from working with Cole?”
I force myself not to flinch as she makes a direct hit on a shitty subject. “That’s a long story best saved for another day.”
“You don’t want to share it with me?”
I don’t want to share it with anyone.
Not now. Not ever.
“Does it have something to do with the trauma you mentioned before?” She looms over me. “I’m not pressuring you to spill secrets… I just thought if we had something in common…”
“It’s not a conversation I want to have, Pen.”
There’s a slight tweak to her muscles. A flinch that consumes me with guilt.
“I’m sorry.” She rests back onto the bed, stealing away her touch. “I won’t ask again.”
No, I bet she won’t. She’s too considerate for that.
I’ll just be left to feel like shit for denying her.
“I’m getting tired.” She rolls away from me to wrestle with her pillow. “Good night, Luc. Thanks for everything.”
Fuck me.
Fuck me for pretending all my ducks are in a row when clearly they’re not.
Fuck me for forcing her to face her past when I barely attempt to face my own. It’s not fair. If only I knew how to function any other way.
“Night, Pen.” I reach for her, gently running my fingers through her hair in silent apology. “Wake me if you need me.”
“I will.”
I lie there for hours, staring at her black outline as she sleeps. I don’t know when I pass out, but it feels like seconds before I startle to consciousness, blinking rapidly at the sun beaming around the edge of the curtains.
I groan and reach for the bedside table to grab my cell, but it isn’t there. I drag myself to the edge of the mattress to scour the floor, still coming up empty.
Shit.
I’m going to have to get up and search for it. There’s no rest for the wicked when I need to find the asshole who shot at Penny.
Despite wanting to lie beside her forever, I can’t today.
I slide from bed, swiping my gun from beneath the pillow, and wipe my free hand over the back of my neck, getting caught up in the sight before me.
She’s peaceful, her gentle face relaxed, her beautiful lips parted.
The loud bang from the front door steals it all.
She startles, launching upright as the pounding continues.
“Luca, open the goddamn door.”
Torian.
Fucking, Torian. That’s what woke me.
“Don’t panic.” I stalk for the dresser, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. “I can’t find my phone. He’d be having a stroke because he couldn’t get hold of me. Go back to sleep.”
She reclines onto her elbows. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I tug my pants on and shove the gun into the back of my waistband. “Everything’s fine.”
At least I hope so. For all I know, Decker could also be waiting at my door ready to take a dick swab. Or a vital organ.
“Sleep.” I make for the hall. “I’ll wake you when I’ve made breakfast.”
I close the door behind me and stride for the front of the house as the knocking continues. A quick check through the peephole confirms Torian is alone, suit-clad and frowning as he attempts to bang my house down.
“What the fuck?” I pull the door wide.
He scrutinizes me with a raised brow as I tug the shirt over my head. “By the look of the claw marks on your neck, I’d say you had a fun night. I hope it was consensual.”
“Fuck you.”
He laughs and steps forward, nudging past me to enter the house.
“By all means,” I grate. “Make yourself at home.”
“You didn’t give me much choice. I’ve been calling for an hour.” He leads me back into the living area to take a seat at my dining table where my silenced phone lies in wait, the notification light blinking. “Did you just wake up?”
“Yeah. I was completely out of it.” I scrub a hand over my face. “I’m tired as fuck.”
“I bet.” There’s the slightest hint of judgment in his tone, but he doesn’t put words to it. He doesn’t need to.
“What do you want, Torian? What’s so urgent that you couldn’t wait until I found my phone?”
He sits back in the chair and shoots a glance to the kitchen. “If I were you, I’d start the coffee machine. You’re gonna need it.”
“Fine.” It’s a demand to make him a mug, but I don’t give a shit because I do need it, likely more than he does. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on? Or do I need to play barista first?”
“I’ll wait.”
“Suit yourself.”
He doesn’t speak again until I’ve got two mugs in hand and have taken my seat on the opposite side of the table. “What’s got your asshole in a bunch this morning?”
He grabs the mug, takes a mouthful, then meets my gaze. “I told you last night that she stole from me.”
Jesus Christ.
“Not this shit again. I haven’t discussed it with her.” I didn’t bring it up because it wasn’t the time. It’ll never be the time. “I’ll pay whatever she owes. Just leave her the fuck alone. She’s gone through enough.”
“She doesn’t owe a dime.” He places down the mug and grabs his cell from his suit jacket, pressing buttons before he slides it in front of me.
A pixelated black and white photo spreads across the screen. A stocky guy stands before an ATM, the majority of his head shrouded by his hoodie, sunglasses, and heavy beard.
“I was wrong.” He taps the picture. “It was this guy.”
“And who the hell is he?”
He shrugs. “No clue. But it’s someone close enough to my father to have been trusted with a keycard.”
“Someone old school or do you think we have new blood in town?” The niggle of apprehension raises the hair on the back of my neck. Luther always had allies here, even after he fled the country. The last thing we need is unfamiliar men stirring up trouble when nobody knows the kingpin is dead.
“Either is possible. The access to a keycard might be how he paid his local associates. My concern is that a threat from Greece slipped through our fingers and came here to cause trouble, because I’ve never seen this man before.”
“He’s unfamiliar to me, too.” My apprehension increases. “But you’re not here for me, are you? Y
ou want Penny to take a look.”
“Yeah. I do.”
I wipe a hand over my mouth, biting back the need to deny him. “She’s sleeping. She needs her rest.”
More than that, she deserves a few days of peace to get her head straight after last night. From both the fear and the bliss.
“I’m not waiting.” He narrows his eyes. “Either you get her or I will.”
I grind my teeth. Fist my mug. It takes every ounce of restraint to take another sip without choking on anger.
If I didn’t have the slightest sense of concern over the piece of shit in the photo, I’d fight harder to have her left alone. But instinct tells me this isn’t the time to make a stand.
“Give me a few minutes.” I walk for my bedroom and ease the door open.
“You’re back already?” She stretches, lazily blinking up at me.
“Sorry, shorty. I didn’t want to wake you again, but Torian wants to see you.”
She sits upright, then scoots from the bed. “Why?”
“It’s nothing exciting. Just get dressed and meet us in the living room.” I don’t wait for more questions. I trek back down the hall, stopping at the main bathroom to wash my face in cold water. By the time I’m heading toward the living room, she’s right behind me, dressed in jeans and a loose sweater as she pulls her hair into a high pony.
“Morning, Cole.” She follows me to the table and takes a seat while I stand beside her.
“Morning.” He gives a fake smile. “I don’t know if Luca already told you, but this isn’t a social visit.”
“Okay.” She frowns. “What’s going on?”
“Last night, I accused you of stealing. I was wrong.”
I remain coiled tight, listening to the admission that is far from the apology she deserves.
“It was a man.” He taps his cell again, lighting up the screen with the picture on it. “I’m wondering if you recognize him.”
“Me?” She glances at me in confusion before settling her attention back on Torian. “Why would I recognize him?”
“No reason. Just covering all my bases.” He pushes his phone toward her, letting her frame it in both hands. “The image quality isn’t the best.”
She stares at the screen, not seeming to show any sign of recognition. At least not until I notice the tremble in her fingers and the lighter shade to her cheeks.
“Pen?” I slide into the seat beside her. “Do you know who it is?”
“Is this a joke?” She looks at me, her face ashen. “Please tell me this is some sick—”
“You recognize him?” Torian asks.
“When was this taken?” Her eyes scream with panic.
“Yesterday afternoon.”
I reach for her, but she drops the phone to the table and pushes from her chair, distancing herself as she stands. “Where?”
“At a gas station ATM,” Torian answers.
“Where?” She repeats. “What gas station? Which ATM?”
“The one on the corner of Boulevard and Cheshire. It’s a ten-minute drive from here.”
A heaved breath shudders from her lips. Followed by another and another, her shoulders trembling with the exhales.
“Penny?” I slowly rise to my feet, not wanting to spook her further. “What’s going on?”
“You lied to me,” she whispers. “You told me he was dead.”
“Who’s dead?” Torian’s chair scrapes as he stands.
“Robert,” she yells. “That man in the photo is Robert.”
“No, shorty.” My refusal is adamant as I reach for her. “You’re mistaken. It’s not him.”
“The image is blurry at best.” Torian speaks over me. “The guy’s face is mostly covered.”
She shoves me away, regaining space. “You think I wouldn’t recognize a man who tormented me for years? I’d know him anywhere. And yet he was here. In Portland. A mere ten-minute drive away.”
“No…” I reach for her again and she revolts.
“You promised.” She backtracks. “You promised he was dead. You promised I was safe.”
“You are.” I follow her. “I would’ve bet my goddamn life he was dead.”
“Instead, you bet mine.” She places more space between us, one step after another. “You staked my life, Luca.”
“I’d never do that.”
I don’t get it.
I don’t fucking understand.
“Pen, calm down,” I beg. “You didn’t sleep well last night. Why don’t you take another look at the photo—”
“I didn’t sleep well?” Her eyes plead with me. “You don’t believe me?”
I hold up my hands in placation. “I’m just trying to understand what the fuck is happening.”
Trying.
Struggling.
I’d been in that room in Greece. I watched as Luther drew his gun and vowed to handle Robert. But we had to leave.
Anissa had been hurt. Scared. In danger.
I heard the gunshot. That blast rang in my fucking ears.
“I need to leave.” Penny scrutinizes her surroundings, glancing around the room as if threatened by the furniture, scanning the yard as she retreats step after step toward the hall.
“You’re safe,” I vow.
“How can you say that? You have no idea what you’re up against. You don’t even trust me. You think I’m crazy.”
“I do trust you.”
“Then listen to me.” The tremble in her hands increases as she glances between me and Cole. “Please, Luca, you need to believe me.”
“Okay.” I keep my arms raised. “I believe you. I promise I believe you. Just stop walking away from me. You don’t get to run again.”
“I don’t know what else to do. I can’t stay here. He’ll come after me. He won’t stop.”
“Neither will I. You hear me?” I bridge the space between us and pull her against my chest. I stare at Torian over her shoulder, noting the skepticism heavy in his features. “I won’t let anyone near you.”
“You don’t understand what he’s like. He won’t give up.”
I squeeze her tighter, only to have her scamper from my hold.
A gasp breaches her lips. Her eyes flare. “Last night… oh, my God. That was him.”
“Okay, that’s enough,” Torian warns. “You need to stop jumping to conclusions. Even if by some stretch of the imagination Robert is alive, he’d know Portland isn’t a smart place for him to hide.”
“He’d never hide.” She pulls back. “He’d be here for payback. He’s here for me. I want a gun, Luca. You need to get me a gun.”
I nod. “We’ll discuss it later. Right now, we have to make a move. Go pack your things. We’re getting out of here.”
She doesn’t wait for any further instruction. She rushes for the hall, her fear-filled expression haunting me even once she’s out of view.
“You don’t buy this crazed bullshit, do you?” Torian holds my gaze, his eyes narrowed. “After everything that happened, you still think it’s possible that asshole is alive?”
I’m trying to piece together the possibilities. We’d heard the gunshot, but we’d left the room. We didn’t physically see Robert dead.
“Did you hear his body hit the floor?” I ask.
“What?”
“Back in Greece. We left the room just as the gunshot was fired.” I pace, raking my hands through my hair. “But did you hear his body hit the ground? There would’ve been a hard clap of his fucking head against the tile. We should’ve—”
“You’re saying you think she’s right?” He scoffs.
“What I’m saying is that I can’t remember hearing Robert’s fucking body hit the floor.”
“We had other things on our mind,” he grates. “Jesus Christ, Luca. You’re thinking with your dick.”
No, I’m not thinking at all. I’m panicking. “What if she’s right? Are you willing to risk your family? Are you willing to risk Anissa? Because if that prick is still breathing, I’m sure
he’s going to want revenge for what we did over there.”
And he’s not the type of psychopath to draw out the torture.
18
Penny
I clean out my wardrobe, packing my belongings into paper shopping bags while Luca remains in the living room with Cole.
I overhear parts of their aggressive argument.
They mention Anissa. My sisters. And Tobias.
My sweet, sweet Tobias.
I fall to my knees. Helpless.
That little boy is entirely vulnerable. But Robert would never hurt him. Not physically. They were like uncle and nephew. It’s the mental threat he poses that I can’t ignore.
Robert wouldn’t stand for Tobias being taken care of by the people who arranged Luther’s murder. And my sisters…oh, God.
Bile climbs up my throat.
Abi.
I knew she would never kill herself. I knew, and Luca didn’t believe me. None of them wanted to believe me.
I clutch a hand to the base of my neck and bow my head, begging the contents of my stomach to retreat.
Robert killed Abi. He tried to kill me. Who knows what he will attempt next.
“Pen?” Luca enters the doorway and falls to his knees before me. “Are you okay?”
“I need to get out of here.”
He nods. “We’re leaving right now.”
“Where?”
“Torian’s house.” He hits me with sad eyes. “Don’t worry. It’s a gated property with heavy surveillance. He’s already called in a security team to man the perimeter.”
I don’t think surveillance will matter. Or security. Nothing will stop Robert getting what he wants. Nothing but death.
“I want that gun, Luca. I need to be able to protect myself.”
His brows pinch. It’s the slightest cringe of a response.
“Luca?” I sit back on my haunches. “You said you could get me a gun. You promised in Greece.”
“You’re not going to need it. The house will be protected.”