Page 53 of The Burnt Heart

I snagged her wrist with a huff, stealing the lump she was about to eat. It had been a week since I saw Jesse and my feet felt unglued from reality. Kinsley’s eyes haunted my limited sleep. Her words about reconciliation dogged my steps. Inevitable my ass. There was no strength in giving up. I searched for the pain inside of me, a reminder of what I was fighting so hard against. But I was numb. Perhaps the hurt had become too much. My brain discarded this one, in favor of more present threats. The strange president of Crimson Claw had kept her word. There had been no trace of them in the city. It should have been a comfort, but constant nausea plagued me. Something big was coming, and I was still hung up on three guys. But I didn’t need anyone, especially not in the early hours of the morning when intrusive thoughts won. Too bad I was a liar. That’s the thing about broken hearts.

They don’t heal linearly.

Each day brought new challenges, but never relief from the emptiness inside of me. I alternated between being strong enough to power through the ache, to wanting to crawl under my covers. Emotions weren’t weakness, I knew that logically, but I hated them all the same. Lara reminded me to be gentle with myself. But I didn’t know how to be gentle. I had been raised to always keep my emotions in check and now they flailed about uncontrollably. Lara mistook my silence for hurt and snagged an arm around my waist.

“Sorry, I’m being bitchy. I’m so glad we have each other. You know you mean the world to me, right? I was lost before I met you.” Lara rested her head on my shoulder. I caught Jonah sneaking a look back at Lara, longing written in every line of his face. My guard had it bad.

“I know, you’re the best friend a girl could have,” I sighed. I would get through this. One day at a time and my weight in ice-cream.

“Don’t think I didn’t miss you talking about three men,” I prodded Lara’s waist. “I know you’re in a better place with Ray and Jonah. Do you have another mystery man in the wings?”

Lara shoved a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth, and I rolled my eyes at her evasion.

“Lara,” I warned. I stepped over a jagged crack in the path. If she thought she could get away with not talking by eating, she was sorely misinformed. The steadily rising flush on her cheeks piqued my curiosity.

“Honestly, I’m impressed. Has someone been taking notes? Just don’t get your nails done and expect a proposal unless you’re one thousand percent sure. But let me guess. Jonah already hates Ray. So, this newcomer must be also causing tension. Unless they don’t all know about each other?” Her lashes flickered. And I let out a scandalized gasp. “You know I won’t rest until you spill everything, right? You’ve been a busy girl.” I looked ahead to Jonah and closed my mouth. It probably wouldn’t help Lara’s situation if I blurted it out on the streets. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and put the lid back on the ice cream.

“What? No ice cream? Am I being punished?” I gave her a wry smile as she disentangled from me and set to twisting her hands together. The light jibe melted away on my tongue. Anyone could see that joking about this wasn’t helping.

“You always said you knew pretty much straight away that they were your guys,” Lara breathed deeply. “That there was something in your heart that called out to them. What if I felt that, but the guys as a group could never work? Too many secrets, too many differences.” The fabric of her calico bag bled darker on the bottom as the ice cream melted against it. I tried to imagine a world in which my guys weren’t friends, and it didn’t exist. They were nothing without each other, and once upon a time I had thought they were nothing without me.

I certainly felt like I was nothing without them. It wasn’t one heartbreak I was nursing, but three. The absence they left inside of me was a gaping maw I was frightened wouldn’t ever heal. To contemplate having the same arrangement, but with three men who didn’t like each other. The potential for heartbreak was even higher.

“Lara, unless you’re dating a Crimson Claw, I think they could get over it. It’s their greatest test. If they hate each other and they’re still willing to put aside their differences for you. You’ll know if it’s truly real. Look at you, girl, mending bridges with your powerful pussy.” I smirked as she covered her face with her hands.

“This is ridiculous. How is this my life?” she spoke to the sky.

“Don’t ask me.” I shrugged. “I guess I’m a bad influence on you. In more ways than one.”

If I didn’t have Lara, I don’t know how I would be coping. I thanked whoever oversaw things that they’d sent her in my path, repeatedly, until I got the message. She had a heart of gold and was magnanimous enough to include me in that warmth. Lara gave me a quick wordless hug.

“Any guy would be lucky to have you. But if they don’t treat you like the queen, you let me know and I can have a little chat with them.” I cracked my knuckles and winked.

Lara’s laugh was sharp, and it echoed down the almost deserted street.

“You’re a good friend, Addi. Ray will think again before crossing you.” I still hadn’t forgiven the charming Donato heir, but it was Lara’s love life. He knew what would happen if he messed around with her heart again.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you avoiding my question, by the way. Who is this other guy you’re falling for?”

Lara stuttered, hiking the bag strap up over her shoulder. Her knuckles turned white over the material, and I narrowed my eyes. Up ahead, Jonah stiffened, and Lara’s shoulders slumped as I dropped my intense gaze. We had almost reached Lara’s apartment building, and I craned my head to see what had caught his interest. He barked into his lapel, and several men melted out from the shadows, forming a barrier around us. Jonah jogged back, face grim.

“What’s going on Jonah?” I asked, subtly moving Lara behind me. Jonah’s eyes flicked over her before he answered with a hefty sigh.

“I’m confirming, but there is someone in the apartment’s lobby building. Someone you will most definitely not want to see.”

I cocked my head in confusion, stomach churning with anticipation. The long, tense moments stretched my nerves as we waited for more information. Could it be Kinsley from Crimson Claw? Heat surged in my blood at the idea of her dismissing my clear warning. Had her soft stomach all been an elaborate act? Had she come to rub it in my face? It wasn’t difficult to track where I was staying, but I had made sure Lara’s apartment was entirely secure before she’d moved into it. Her connection to me, even through the legal avenue of my foundation, made her a target. It wasn’t inconceivable that someone would accost me in the lobby, but it told me a lot abouttheir intelligence. Jonah stiffened, clearly getting a response from one of my guys.

“Who?” I rocked on my heels, unable to stop moving. But from the look on Jonah’s face, I suddenly knew.

Nicole.

I pushed past him, ignoring his sharp curse. The tall sheets of glass were illuminated from the inside, highlighting the sleek marble lobby. There was a green wall, dripping with ferns, and she stood in front of it. A guard was patting her down, while another rifled through her handbag. My nostrils flared as I attempted to tame the sprawling rage that scratched my insides.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I hissed under my breath. Lara’s shoes slapped as she raced behind me, her sharp intake of breath loud in my ear.

“This bitch,” Lara gasped.

“Instructions?” Jonah pressed. He gave nothing away with his expression, emotionless and blank. But deep in his eyes, I could see a spark of anger. Nobody was pleased to see Nicole. There was only one reason she was here, but I hoped I was wrong. If I wasn’t? She was about to find out what it means to come up against Adelaide Orazio.

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