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“Then give her what she wants,” he insists, his tone turning urgent. “Make her feel secure. Find her a place, a job—something solid…In another fucking city. Or better still, another country.”
“No.” Frustration boils just beneath the surface of my skin. “I can’t.”
“Why the hell not?” He paces, running a hand through his hair as if it might untangle the mess that we’re in.
I take another long drag from my bottle of beer. He’s right, of course, East always is. But—
“I don’t want to.” The words slip out before I can stop them, and they taste sweet on my tongue. She tastes sweet.
“What the hell do you mean?” East stops in front of me, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
“She needs stability and...” My voice drops as I wrestle with the truth that gnaws at me.
“Safety, West. She needs to get away from here.” His brows knit together, confusion swirling in his eyes.
“I know!” My voice rises again as I fight against the growing frustration. “But it’s complicated! You don’t understand.”
“Try me.” East challenges me with an intensity that makes my stomach churn.
I meet East’s gaze and sigh.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling the stress settle like a lead weight in my chest. “I thought helping her would get me off my father’s radar, but now? Now it feels like I’ve tangled myself in something far worse.”
“Then you better figure out how to protect her.” East leans closer. There is so much intensity in his gaze.
“I know!” The panic rises within me like a tidal wave about to unleash and cause havoc. “She’s already lost so much.”
I take another swig as East laughs. “Oh shit. You’re falling for her,” he states as understanding dawns on him.
“I fell for her a long time ago.”
His eyes widen as he mutters, “You’re screwed.”
Chapter 16
Amelia
Ijolt awake, my heart pounding.
Only a sliver of moonlight sneaks through the gap in the curtains. It casts an eerie glow across the center of the bed and toward the door.
I never slept in West’s bedroom last night. After everything that’s been said, I never thought it was appropriate.
Still, my hand reaches out, searching for his warmth. Only I find nothing but cold sheets.
My heart sinks into my stomach. He’s not here. Of course he’s not. I told him to forget about me…us…and return to his life at Club Elysium.
I shouldn’t have told him to go. I shouldn’t have pushed him away. But how can I take it back now?
I know I can’t.
Still, the realization hits me like a punch to the gut, that I don’t want him to forget me. I don’t want him to give me up, but he’s going to when we get to the end of our deal, anyway. So, he might as well do it right now. He doesn’t need the danger I could bring to his life.
Especially as I’ve heard from office gossip that West was once a kidnap victim. In the cold light of day, he’ll never take that risk again.
I sit up, hugging my knees to my chest. The silence of the apartment presses in on me.
Did he go to the club?