“If she finds out, she won’t behappy.”
“I expect she’ll be pissed.” Gasket smiled, showing me a side I hadn’t seen before. He cared. He actually, genuinely cared for Sloane. He wasn’t messing around. Not about this. “I don’t want the shit beaten out ofme.”
I knew Sloane was more than capable of looking after herself. After seeing how she handled things on the road, I believed in her, but the more people we had on our side, the better. Gasket was a good start. He was second only to thepresident.
“If Marini tries to sell her again or does anything to hurt a single hair on her head, I’ll kill him myself,” I murmured, the threat rolling off my tongue like silk. “I’ll kill anyone who tries to stop me and anyone who dares come afterus.”
“You’d give up your revenge for her? You’d forget about yourwife?”
I’d already made that pledge to Sloane before we arrived at Fortitude. I’d told her I would go anywhere with her. If she wanted to run, we would run. If she wanted to fight, we would fight. She’d chosen the latter, so here wewere.
The photo of Madison was burning a hole in my pocket. I would never stop loving her, but she was dead and buried. There was a point I would have to let go and move forward. I’d thought I’d done that on the train when I was lying on the floor of that luggage compartment, but here I was still staring at a creased photograph in thedark.
“Madison is dead,” I replied, my heart heavy. “I’ll never forget what we had or what they did to her, but she wouldn’t like what I’ve become.Sloane…”
“Wanted a better life. She obviously saw something in you out on the road. Something you’ve forgotten. She’s a stubborn, foulmouthed little upstart, but she doesn’t trust just anyone. Look at where she grew up.” Gasket gestured at the yard below where the grill out was stillhappening.
“I was supposed to be one of the good guys,” Isaid.
“No one’s supposed to be anything,” Gasket said. “The world is gray. There isn’t any black or white. The only thing that’s certain is death. Everything else is abonus.”
I grunted. He was preaching to the Goddamnedchoir.
“Love her well, Chaser,” he added, pushing to his feet. “Because the feeling is mutual. I’ll kill you before you hurt a hair on herhead.”
“What about Marini?” I threw at hisback.
“I’ll kill him,too.”