Page 41 of Dual Destruction

“Where?”

Another shrug.

“When is he leaving?”

I sighed.

“Is he putting you in danger?” Rich asked.

I swallowed.

Yes.

“I’m fine,” I lied. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Lies.

Lies.

Lies.

“Where is he?” Ronan asked.

“Probably sleeping,” I guessed. “Or listening. He’s in the guest room.”

“I think we should meet him,” Rich suggested.

“He’s recovering from almost being murdered,” I snapped, leaning forward and setting my wine on the table with a little more force than necessary. “You don’t need to meet him.”

“Foster.”

“I appreciate the concern, but it’s misguided.” I stood up and held up my hand, giving him a display of contention I didn’t think he often saw. “You are my friend, and I care what you think, but I promise this is under control.”

“Besides,” Kevin said quietly. “We all know who he is.”

“Kevin!” I let out a frustrated breath and stared up at the ceiling.

“Who is he?” Rich pressed.

“The guy from New Year’s.” I grabbed the bottle of wine around the neck and took it into the kitchen.

No one followed me and, with a frown, I dumped the shitty Chianti down the drain. Sage hadn’t been wrong. The wine wasn’t good, and if that was the reason his dad wanted him dead, then that poor man’s ego needed a fucking reckoning. I set the empty bottle on the sink and braced myself on the edge, trying to get calm before returning to my friends.

After a beat, I realized I wasn’t alone, but also knew none of my friends would have stood by so silently. I closed my eyes and dropped my chin to my chest.

“It is a shitty Chianti,” I told Sage.

Behind me, he chuckled softly.

“My friends came around.” I turned and rested against the counter, folding my arms in front of my chest. Sage was close, a few feet away with his back to the island. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of a pair of lounge pants he’d borrowed from me. I didn’t see the outline of his gun, but I definitely saw the outline of his cock.

“Your bullets are in the top drawer in the bathroom,” I said.

“I know.” His mouth twitched into a smirk. “I found them.”

“Of course you have.”

“You’re clever, Golden, but you’re not so much smarter than me.”