Page 30 of His Fury

“Do you think he already knew about you two and he used my debt as an excuse?”

Yes. But I would never admit it. Not to him. Not today. “Or is that an excuseyouneed to stop you from feeling like the shithead you are”

I would never admit that the gamble Delaney had played,ifhe had played it like I thought he had, had fucking worked.

“She was never supposed to be on their radar,” Julian mumbled. “You believe me, right?”

I nodded despite the urge to hit him still loitering beneath my frustration. I reached for a glass of whiskey, pouring it sloppily and downing it in one go. The familiar burn did nothing to dull the fact that I’d played right into their hands.

I had never been one to be accused of being predictable. I didn’t make mistakes like this. I didn’t let people see my weaknesses.

I didn’t have fucking weaknesses.

But someone had seen something. Seen her? And probably me. We’d stuck to the club. We hadn’t gone on dates. Fuck, the day she spilled coffee on herself had been the first time we’d been out in public.

But we’d been carefulafterthe first night I was at her door. I remembered the night she was in the club with Sienna. I’d given zero fucks as to who might have been watching. My staff knew to give her water. Knew to let her in. Knew she went to the higher level of the club and used the room only Rye and I used.

Someone had seen more than I was ready to admit.Fuck.

Julian shifted in his seat, bringing my attention back to him. His voice was hoarse when he spoke. “It was never meant to get this far.”

I laughed. Sharp. Cold. “Wasn’t it?” I asked him, giving him my full focus. “That’s cute, Turner. Because this is what fucking happens when you owe loan sharks shitloads of cash you can’t fucking cover.”

He ground his teeth, and that familiar stubborn set of his jaw made me want to hit him. There was a lot about him today that made me want to hit him.

“I was handling it,” he ground out.

I slammed the empty glass on the countertop, my patience snapping. “The only thing you were handling was digging your grave faster.” I leaned forward, voice low, deadly. “And you almost put her in it with you.”

Julian paled. His fingers flexed against his chinos, his knee bouncing before he forced it still. He wasn’t stupid. He knew how close he’d come to losing her. He’d crossed a line he would never be able to uncross. Isla would probably forgive him, but she would never forget.

And me? The loyalty we had to each other because we were friends? It had been hanging by a fucking thread for too long, I was ready for it to snap.

“You’re going to fix this,” I told him, my voice like steel. “You’re going to pay every goddam cent, and you’re going to make sure that no one ever breathes Isla’s name in connection with you again.”

Julian was nodding in agreement. “Yeah. It’s done.” He floundered. “I’ll find the money…”

I took a step closer, watching him. Daring him to fuck up. Daring him to try to tell me that her being taken wasn’t because ofhim. But he must have a better sense of survival instinct than I gave him credit for. He didn’t say it.

Because heknew.

I nodded once. “Leave.” He looked at me in surprise. “Go downstairs, get whatever the fuck you need. I need ten minutes. Then get your ass back here and bring a list of all the shit you owe.”

He hesitated but only for a second. Then he stood, running his hand through his hair. He looked at me but kepthis mouth shut and headed to the door. He didn’t look back before it shut behind him.

The room was silent, and I inhaled deeply. I looked at the empty glass. I didn’t need another. I needed a few minutes alone, a shower, and a solution.

What I needed was to make sure this never fucking happened again.What I needed was?—

WhatIneeded didn’t matter.

Beside my bed, I picked up my phone, opening messages and seeing nothing from Rye.

You there yet?

If I was, I’d have told you

Prick.

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