Page 35 of Deceptive Vows
“Go.” Lucas rolled his eyes.
We walked back to Nazar, and I only caught the tail end of the conversation. My sweet, petite sister was telling him he’d better be good to me because she was tiny but mighty.
Anna, arms crossed over her chest, head held high, seemed to be vehemently agreeing with her.
The women had faced down horrible parents, so I’d give them credit there, but they weren’t fighters.
“Hello, lover.” I grinned.
Claire startled and spun around. “Hey! So, I’m getting you a room set up, right?” She eyed Lucas.
“I tried. I swear I did.” The effort it took not to laugh was almost all I could muster. My big, bad brother was completely smitten. It was wonderful.
Ari cursed under his breath again.
“That must mean you’re staying with us, correct?” Anna asked as she looked at Ari.
“I’m staying at Nazar’s penthouse, if the offer still stands.” I held his gaze as I said it.
“But…” Claire pouted. “You…” A faulty lightbulb seemed to go off in my Polly Pocket-sized sister’s brain. She looked from me to Nazar andback. “Ohhhh…” She laughed as she caught Anna’s gaze.
“No.” I made my tone mean we were not discussing it further. I was still more than willing to throw her body into Lake Michigan.
Nazar’s eyebrows knitted together. “I have missed something.”
I moved closer and palmed his chest. “You’ve missed nothing. Does your offer still stand?”
He covered my hand with his. “Of course. What is mine, is yours.” The intensity in his gaze was almost withering. It was more likely he was saying this just in case anyone might report back to Marco.
“Thank you.” I sighed. “I need to do a little shopping, I guess.” I put my fingers to my temple and rubbed it. The last thing I wanted to do was deal with that. It was late, and I was mentally and emotionally spent.
Claire and Anna waved me off. “Nope. You text us a list of things, and we’ll go get them,” Claire said. “We’ll drop them off as soon as we’ve collected everything.”
The instant relief I felt couldn’t be described. I’d need to wait up for them because I had nothing but my phone, butthe idea of going somewhere quiet and gathering my wits sounded incredible. “I’d really appreciate that.”
Lucas brought me in for another hug. “Get some rest. If you need anything, call.” Ari, Lex, and Dimi all nodded, saying much the same.
Nazar slipped his arm around my waist and led me to the car he’d had waiting for us. The next few weeks would be interesting now that I was staying with Nazar. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, but I was right about the access I’d have. If it helped us, that was the bright spot in all of this.
I’d lost my home, but it’d be worth it if it helped us rescue those women and children from Marco.
Still, as Nazar guided me into the car, a thought settled in. I’d lost my home. But I had a mission. And maybe, in a way I hadn’t expected, I wasn’t alone anymore.
Chapter Thirteen
NAZAR
The city skylineblurred as I furiously paced before my second-level bedroom windows. As I spoke to Marco via video call, I bit back on my barely contained anger. “You set her home on fire?” The thought that Thea could have died pained me in ways I couldn’t count. “While I was inside with her?” I’d yet to complete the job he’d hired me to do.
Once Thea had chosen the room she wanted, one on the first level and closest to the door–a smart choice for a woman staying in a penthouse with a man she didn’t quite trust—she asked for a little time alone. I obliged and immediately retreated to my room to call Marco.
He smirked. “I thought it’d give you good cover. If they think I’m trying to kill you too, they won’t suspect we’re working together.”
In theory, it made sense. “But you didn’t warn me.”
“It made the reaction authentic, right? Had I told you, and you’d reacted differently, it might have made her suspicious.”
“If something had gone wrong… your plan would have burned with us.” Death was a hazard in general, but in my line of work, it was commonplace. Still, we were supposed to be working together.
