Page 96 of Indulge
I sigh. He’s right. Bigger fish to fry.
“So. Phoenix. What’s the plan?”
He claps his hands, motioning me over to his computer. “Get your boots and cowboy hat on, you’re off to Sterling Ranch. Hunter will help you track The Crow. Then Declan’s letting you loose.”
“Well,” he adds, glancing at me, “to an extent. You and Reg come up with the plan, depending on what The Crow gives you. You’ll need to break him. To the edge of death. I mean it, hold nothing back. Be that sadistic little bastard I know you can be. Then we’ll decide our next move.”
I process that, jaw tight. “Why don’t you come with us? Conan, Finn, Declan, they’ve got it covered here. Could be a fun little road trip.”
He laughs. “Maybe I’ll fly out once you have The Crow. For now, I’ve got things to manage here.”
I squint. “Things or people?”
“Someone,” he admits. “It’s complicated.”
I tap his arm, and he scowls. “No. This one’s going to my grave, so don’t bother asking.”
“Noted.”
My phone buzzes. My heart jumps when I see her name.
Bella: Are you ignoring me, rockstar?
I can’t help myself, even after what I heard Reggie say to her a couple of nights ago. I promised her I wouldn’t give up, but now I know how he felt when he saw us.
I can’t get the taste of her off my tongue.
Me: Never, sweetness.
The phone vibrates again.
Drago groans. “No. You’re not distracted at all.”
“You told me to stop asking questions. I was giving you a minute to recompose,” I tease.
“Yeah, right. More like you’re texting your brother’s fiancée.”
I press a hand over my heart. “Ouch. You wound me, Dragon.”
He glares. “Stop calling me that.”
“Never. Best typo ever. You’ll always be Dragon to me.” I grin. “And she’s only my sister-in-law by alliance. They’re not married. This isn’t wrong.”
He leans back, unimpressed. “I’d cut my brother’s heart out if he tried to steal my wife.”
“It’s not the same.”
But it is, and it isn’t. Because it doesn’t feel wrong. It feels inevitable. Like she was meant to be mine all along.
“Maybe,” I say quietly, “she’s marrying the wrong Murphy twin.”
“Maybe she’s better off marrying neither of you,” he counters.
“Why? You want her?”
“Nope.”
My jaw ticks. “Drink?”
