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I take a slow pull from my own joint and savor the burn in my lungs. The ache fades further, replaced by a haze that softens everything.

“Most people just send flowers when they want to show they care,” I say, nodding at his joint.

“Well, most people don’t deal with your brand of aggravation daily, Pretty.”

I squint at the wall clock until the numbers sharpen. Four a.m. It’s only been three hours since I left Luna in bed to get patched up. Why the fuck do I have this gnawing need to see her again?

I push myself upright and wait for the room to settle.

“You got somewhere to be, jackass?”

“Just some . . . business to take care of.” I bite back a snicker at my moronic excuse.

“Oh, business?” His lip curls. “Tell me, how long before this ‘business’ wraps up so we can get back to work?”

I hold his stare. “Relax, Scar. She only needs my protection.”

His jaw tightens. “She’s needed your protection on just about every horizontal surface, Pretty. Not to mention turning you into some territorial caveman who can’t leave her for five minutes so we can plan our next move.”

Scar pushes off the wall, his movement fluid despite the tension radiating from him. “What the actual fuck is wrong with you?”

I clear my throat to get rid of the laugh bubbling up and force a shrug. “What can I say? She’s hot. Look, I just need to take her to Harmony, and then I’m all yours.”

“Harmony?” Something deep and raw flashes across his face. “You’re taking her to Harmony?”

Fuuuck.I can’t believe I let that slip.

“Nico Vitelli wants her dead. Phoenix is the only man who can save her from Vitelli’s wrath. So she goes there,” I say, the cover-up sounding weak even to my ketamine-addled brain. If there’s one place that Scar can’t touch, it’s my family.

Thealarm in Scar’s eyes tells me I’ve only managed to deepen his suspicion. “So you drive two days to take the woman whose father you plan to execute to the safest place on earth?”

Knowing I’m too fucking stoned to lie properly, I grunt and change the subject. “Did I not tell you to take Kat to Moscow?”

He sneers. “Yeah, because nothing spells ‘successful mission’ like a lovesick puppy trailing after me.”

I know he doesn’t mean that. “Why can’t you let yourself love that woman back?”

He makes a sound—a cross between disgust and disbelief at the question. “Because it got me killed once.”

“How is Kat even in the same universe as the woman you loved? Kat is an assassin and a spy. That woman was a civilian, Scar. An elementary school teacher.” My voice hardens. “A fucking married woman. You stalked her, wore down her defenses, had an affair, and told her your secrets. Fuck, you broke so many rules I was glad to finally kill your ass.”

“She loved me too.” The words come out raw.

“She wasn’t going to leave her husband and kids for something you could never give her.”

“And you think you can give Luna—”

Something lurches inside me, but I keep my expression neutral. Scar’s a human lie detector. “I have no future to give.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes narrow. “It’s been less than a week, Pretty, and she’s already fucked you up this bad.”

Yep, well aware of that mortifying fact.

I lean back, aiming for casual. “Okay, I’ll admit Luciana’s gotten under my skin a little bit. Like I said, she’s hot.”

Scar pushes off the wall, closing the distance between us. “She’s Romano’s daughter. Her father is scheduled to die at your hands next week.” His voice drops lower. “What happens then?”

I get off the couch, stub out the joint, and pull on my shirt. Then I lift an arm to his shoulder, hoping he won’t see through the lie.