Page 51 of Princess of Vengeance

I take a deep breath. This is the next big hurdle, the thing I’m not sure I can sell him on.

“The only catch is, it’s going to take some time. And patience. From all of us.”

He frowns again. “I’ve never been a patient man, mia cara. Especially not when it comes to you and your safety. How long do you think it’ll take, realistically?”

“I honestly don’t know. I feel like things are progressing quickly already, but I can only speak to the other Syndicate members when the opportunity presents itself. In a lot of ways, I’ll be at Malcolm’s mercy right up until the moment I pull the rug out from under him.”

“Has he touched you?”

The question is so unexpected that I actually flinch. “What?”

“Malcolm. Has he touched you?”

“He…” I shake my head. “He wanted to, but I wouldn’t let him. He’s giving me my space for now, but…”

“But what?”

“But he’s made it pretty clear that he isn’t going to wait forever.”

Just saying those words out loud makes my stomach turn. Judging by Nico’s expression, he’s having a similar reaction.

“He’d better stay the fuck away from you.” He leans in a little closer to look me directly in the eyes. “I mean it, mia cara. If he ever touches you, you have to tell me.”

“What good will that do?”

“It’ll do a lot of fucking good because I’ll kill the son of a bitch. Pretty sure nobody would fucking miss him.”

I know he’s angry and I know he means every word he’s saying, which honestly makes me feel a little better, even though I know it isn’t that simple.

But it’s a good reminder that he—and Atlas and Killian—still give a damn about what happens to me. They still love me.

And they’re still willing to put their lives on the line to save mine.

“You’d better get back,” he says quietly. “I don’t want to fuck up this plan before you have a chance to put it into motion.”

I nod, knowing he’s right even though I’d rather take my chances and stay a little while longer. “We can keep in contact through Mickey. I’ll leave notes for you whenever I can.”

“We’ll do the same.”

I open my mouth to say something else, but he kisses me again, and the rest of my words get lost in the heat and passion and desperation of the moment.

“Be safe,” I murmur when the kiss finally ends.

“You too.”

He watches me go as I slip out of the bathroom and walk toward the back stairs that lead down to the basement. God, I miss him already.

I miss all three of them so fucking much.

20

ATLAS

The living roomTV is on, but I can’t focus on whatever is playing. The volume is too low to hear with my fucked-up ear anyway, but that’s not the main problem right now. I’m pretty sure it could be turned up to full blast and my mind would still be a million miles away.

Or, more accurately, on the other side of Detroit.

Killian is sprawled across the couch, and his usual calm, collected stillness has been replaced by a restless energy that has him fidgeting and tapping his fingers against his thigh. I’m no better, shifting in the armchair every few minutes, unable to find a comfortable position.

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