Page 88 of After 5

“Now he’s worried about me, or should I say he’s worried about himself. You sack of shit.” Marco scowled at me. “Why can’t you see him for what he really is.”

Gunshots sounded in the distance. The second wave of attack was commencing on Little Round Top.

Caiyan walked away from us, cut through the brush.

I left Marco in Gertie’s care and followed him.

He stood at the edge of the small hill and scanned the trees for soldiers.

My back ached from my gear. I set my hat down, removed the heavy medical bag. The sword dangled at my side, free from the weight of the gear that hung on top of it. I walked up behind him.

“Why are you here?” I asked him.

He spoke without turning around. “The Mafusos have a seer, but no key. I know of a seer, but she doesnae have her key here. The Mafusos think she does.”

“A seer? Like Pickles?”

“Aye, my plan was to get my key and warn the seer the Mafusos will take her. I didnae expect them to force me into marriage, ’twas their safety net.”

“You didn’t have to marry her.”

He turned toward me. His eyes softened when they met mine.

“Hurting you was the hardest part, but my intentions were for the greater good. Unfortunately, Gian-Carlo refused to return my key until after I proved my loyalty to him.”

“Proved your loyalty by marrying Mahlia,” I huffed.

“Toches knows of the seer. He’s using his information of her to win the respect of Gian-Carlo and bargain his way into the Mafuso family. The Mafusos have been trying to find her since I dangled the sword under their noses.”

“You were driven by the Thunder key, you didn’t know it was possessed,” I moved closer wanting to wrap my arms around him but chose to keep my distance.

His shoulders slumped. “Toches found her last cycle, almost snagged her.”

“The girl,” I said. My mind clicked the pieces together. “In Salem.”

“Ye were there?” His eyes widened.

“Yep. My assignment.”

“Gian-Carlo locked me up last moon cycle. Toches said he tried fir her but failed. He dinnae tell me ye were there.”

“He’s sneaky that way.”

“Aye, dinnae go as planned. Gian-Carlo was naugh happy with Toches. The old man realized he wouldn’t find the sword withoot me, and…” He stopped mid-sentence. “Where did ye get that?” He pointed to the sword I had taken off the fallen soldier. The sheathed weapon angled at my side.

“I accidentally landed on a guy,” His brows tightened together, and I cleared up the confusion. “But he was already dead. I thought it was your sword, but there’s no engraving on the blade.”

“Bloody hell, ye shoudnae be here.” His anger flared again.

“You should quit keeping secrets and let me help you,” I said, matching his tone.

“Was the man ye killed—”

“Correction, landed on.”

He moved close to me. So close I wanted to brush a kiss across his lips. I reminded myself not an hour ago this guy was standing at the altar with Satan’s bitch spouting I weel.

“Did he have a scar alongside his cheek like so?” Caiyan ran his finger down my cheek.

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