Page 94 of Forbidden Eyes

I wipe my face, a snarl over my features at both her words and my own confusion.

"Or please, fuck off and leave us the hell alone.”

I watch her storm away from me, her heels eating up the ground to the door so quickly it leaves me dazed. “There’s only one chance left here, Carter," she calls back. "One. Make it count if you want her.”

Chuckles come from the bar, focusing my attention at three women. I glare at them and find some fortitude, throwing some cash on the table so I can chase Hope to the door and follow her out. She’s by the side of Quinn’s car by the time I get to her, the alarm bleeping as she ratchets the handle.

“What do you mean cage her?” I holler, studying her reactions.

“What do you think I mean? It was bad enough before you, but now? You’re not stupid, Carter. You know exactly how he’ll treat her. Quinn isn't enough to stop him. Me neither.”

Rage wells at the thought. It comes from somewhere deep down inside me, somewhere untouched before little Fia Vico came along and disrupted my balance. Enough so that I feel like exploding all over him for even daring to try keeping her caged up.

“You don’t care what this means for you?” I ask, searching her face for permission of some kind. Because this could mean the end of them and she knows it. I go back there and stand up to him, tell him to back the fuck off my family, my woman, and it might well be the end of Vico and Winters.

She hovers, her hand still fixed to the car, and looks at me with a shrug of indifference. “What the hell are you worrying about me for? Or Quinn? You do the right thing by Fia. That’s all I want. That’s all that means anything, Carter.”

She gets in and slams the door, and the car sprints off, wheels screeching to get her back home. I watch it go, head a fucking mess of indecision and thoughts, then wonder what the fuck I’m waiting for. I turn and run, striding long and hard for where I left the car. It’s there, thankfully, all wheels still damn well attached. Perhaps the plate means something in this back end of town, like Quinn’s did all those years ago. Who fucking knows, or cares?

I scramble into it and floor the accelerator, incensed at the thought of Vico getting his hands on Fia and how he might treat her. With me or not, she’s not going back to that kind of life. She’s better than that, worth more than living her days at his will. If nothing else, she should stay with Quinn, enjoy her life there and learn who she is.

The lights of the city flash by, distorting a line across my thoughts and sending more visions of her smile than I’ve already got. That was all we had that was real between us, that small amount of time in the suite in Miami before he came for me. Well, he can bring that shit again right now, right up in my face, because he’s not taking her back to that kind of life.

Not on my watch.

I don’t even remember getting here, but I power through the open gates and kick gravel up on the way to the main house. I get out, slamming the door, and look around at the bunch of guys who have been called in to deal with Vico’s arrival. They all nod at me, some of them checking over their weapons and getting ready. I run my hand over the hood of Quinn’s car, feeling the heat from the engine, and look up at the windows. Hope will be back with her now, comforting her because of me. A curtain twitches in the far guest quarters, but I can’t see who it is. I pocket my hands and stare at it, hoping some clarity other than murderous intentions will prevail in my thoughts. No one kills Vico.

No one damn well stands up to him let alone thinks about killing him.

“Carter.” Quinn’s voice focuses me.

I turn my head from the window and find him standing in the main entrance, Nate off to the side. “Where are Emily and Gabby? Logan?” I ask.

“Emily’s upstairs. Gabby’s somewhere,” he replies, looking at Nate for explanation. As if on cue, Logan walks in from the side, a gun in his hand. I arch a brow at him, amused at whatever he thinks he’s doing.

“Can you even use that?”

A shot comes two feet in front of me before I can blink, the impact of it kicking dust up into my face. I nod and walk in, heading straight for the gun cabinets out back of the kitchen. Alright. He’s more ready than I gave him credit for.

“It was evens by the way,” Quinn calls.

Of course, it was.

Fucking dice.

My handprint registers on the cabinet and activates the door, revealing a small arsenal. I select an extra Glock to match my own. With any luck, none of us will need them, but I’m no fool. If what Hope said is true, if she was concerned enough to come and find me, he’ll be coming with one intent only—to get his girls back without care for killing any of us. I turn and head for the main hall again, only to find Quinn in my face.

“I need to know how you feel about her,” he says, crowding me.

“We haven’t got time for that, Quinn,” I growl, trying to get around him, back to the entrance. I’ll stand there, wait for Vico so I’m the first one he sees when he gets here. Quinn’s hand lands on my chest, pushing me backwards as his body closes in.

“I’ll defend this house, and you, but I want the truth before I put any of us on the line,” he says quietly into my ear.

My eyes look at the stairs, tracking the steps up to where she is.

Love.

I don’t know what the hell that is, but I guess I do love her. Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I look back at him then watch as Nate and Gabby come out of one of the corridors. He draws out his own gun, a frown on his face as he kisses Gabby’s forehead and sends her over to the stairs. She wanders up them, her eyes directed at mine and a curt smile on her face.

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