Page 149 of Reckoning

“But you knew enough.” I murmur. “This whole damn city knows.”

He cups my cheek, lifting my face to look at him properly. “Fuck what this city thinks it knows. You’re the only thing that matters. Do you understand?”

I don’t reply, at least not with words.

I slam my mouth into his, kissing him with that same demand that he kissed me earlier. And those words echo in my head like they’re some sort of declaration of love.

His hands wrap around me, he pulls me onto like he hasn’t already fucked the life out of me. I groan, needing more, needing so much more.

But he just breaks it off, doing his trousers up, covering me like I’m not able to do it myself and then we’re walking back up to world above us.

As if none of this happened. As if he didn’t just hunt me down like an animal.

Sofia

The next day I go to see my lawyers. Koen doesn’t accompany me but he sends enough men that it feels like I have an entire army with me.

Colt sits beside me in the back of what looks like an armoured truck.

Apparently, we aren’t hiding the fact we’re at war.

I don’t know what to say to him, how to speak to him really. His nose is bruised from where I hit him but thankfully it isn’t broken. Whenever our eyes connect I feel a pang of guilt that’s hard to ignore.

He’s not exactly standoffish but he keeps glancing at me like he’s got something on his mind but doesn’t have the guts to say whatever it is to my face.

“Will you just spit it out.” I snap.

He tenses, glancing at the two men up front. The driver and the man in full body armour, holding an actual assault rifle. How they get away with it, I don’t know. If Hastings sees this I don’t doubt he’ll have an absolute hissy fit.

“It’s not my place…” Colt begins, only that makes me laugh. If he’s thinking it, then he can damn well say it.

“If you’re worried I’m going to go running back to Koen…”

“It’s not that.” He cuts across me. “Well, maybe a little.” The sheepish grin he gives me actually relieves some of the tension.

“Look, I’m not a psycho.” I state. “And I don’t want you to only see me as his…” I stumble over the word. Am I his girlfriend? His partner? We’ve never defined what we are, what labels to call ourselves. I sold my soul to the man, what terminology best fits that, slave?

No, I won’t be called that. I can’t be called that.

I dig my nails into my palms forcing down the momentary panic at that very notion.

“What do you know of the Devil’s Heart diamond?” He asks.

That seems to steal away all thoughts of a panic attack.

“The what diamond?”

“The Devil’s Heart diamond.” He repeats.

What the fuck is that? What would I know about some particular diamond? Do I look like a jewellery expert?

“They say your father had it. It was in his possession and then he died...” He trails off giving me a look like I know all the world’s secrets.

“What’s so great about this diamond?” I reply. Oh, there has to be something, doesn’t there? No way it’s just a fancy piece of jewellery.

He narrows his eyes, clearly weighing up the consequences of this conversation. “It’s cursed.”

I shouldn’t react. I shouldn’t feel the flash of fear that seems to clench around my gut, around my chest. “Is that why Reid says I’m cursed?” I ask.

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