Page 110 of The Kings of Kearny

“What were you really doing?” I asked.

His expression hardened, and this time I recognized the warning look in his eyes. “Setting up our trip,” he repeated slowly.

Huh. For some reason he didn’t think he could be honest with me right now. Why? Did he think that someone was watching me? Liam or Daniel or maybe even... Nick. If it was Liam or Daniel, Jakob wouldn’t worry about how they’d react if he said “What I was really doing was violently murdering a sociopathic piece of shit,” so he must have thought that Nick might be watching.

Jesus Christ.

Just when I thought I’d finally get a break, shit went sideways again. Was Redding a setup? Had NickletRedding go to see what I would do? To see what Jakob would do? If we killed him and Nick found out, he would either throw us in jail or, the more likely option, blackmail us into working for him to take the Kings or the Specters down.

This was what you wanted,I reminded myself.

I took a deep breath. Yes, it was. And I realized now how fucked up that probably made me, but screw it. I’d decided I was in, so I was in. I’d have to trust Jakob to tell me the truth when he felt like he could.

“Okay,” I said.

He gave me a pointed look. “Okay?”

I nodded.

He glanced past me for the first time, taking in my apartment. “I like your new place.”

I looked over my shoulder, following his gaze. It was still a little sparse; the only piece of furniture in the living room was a couch. I hadn’t gotten around to replacing my TV yet, and there were no little side tables or area rugs or throw blankets to make the space feel safe and cozy yet, but it would get there. I was determined this time to make a real home for myself.

“Thanks,” I said, turning back to him.

He nodded. “Was Dad’s check enough to cover everything?”

“And then some,” I said. “So, when are we going on our trip?”

“Right now.”

I frowned. “I can’t. I have to work all weekend.”

He shook his head. “I had Lisa switch out your shifts.”

Well, that settled that.

Excitement bloomed in my chest, and I tried to tamp it down before it got away from me, and I ended up doing something stupid like giggling. “Does that mean you’ve forgiven me?”

He stepped forward, finally closing the distance between us. His eyes were steady on mine as he stared down at me. “You did what you felt you had to do. I might not like it, I might not agree with it, but it worked. It solved most of our problems. Even my father has been acting less fucked up.”

Holy shit, maybe I’d actually gotten through to Liam.

“Plus,” he said, hand dropping to cup my cheek, “after everything I put you through leading up to that point, I’d be a hypocrite not to forgive you.”

I leaned into his touch. “Yes, you would.”

“I don’t want to turn into my father,” he said.

I gripped his wrist and stared up at him. “You won’t.”

A small crease formed between his brows. He was on the verge of scowling. “I’m not perfect. I’m not even a good person, but I’m going to try not to treat you like that again.”

I angled my face up, gaze dropping to his mouth. “No more bullshit.”

“No more bullshit,” he agreed, sealing his lips over mine.

I swayed into him. He still cupped my cheek, using it to tilt my head back even farther as his tongue delved into my mouth. His other hand snaked around my back, bicep flexing against my side as he pulled me closer.

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