Page 61 of Heartless

Nodding, she swiped the heels of her hands over her lids and threw the bedding off her legs.Her hand in mine was too warm.Her temperature was spiking again.When she clocked Sile, her nails unloosed from my skin, and the breath of relief she let out was audible.Zook and Edo had stood up and were waiting.

Zook approached us first, and Sienna’s frame tightened.

“Sienna, I’m Lenny.”

She cleared her throat.“Hi, Lenny.”

While I led her to Edo, he watched her intently.“I’m Edo.”

“Hi, Edo.”

Edo extended his hand toward the corner of the couch closest to him.“Sit.”

Her eyes darted to Sile, who notched his chin down.With my hand on her lower back, I nudged her toward the couch.While she settled in the space Edo had indicated, he reclaimed the armchair, and I stood at the end of the couch beside her.

****

Sienna

The two older men were freaking intimidating.The leader—the vibe around him screamed he was the boss—had a head full of white hair and a sharp gaze.The other, Lenny, seemed more relaxed but no less perspicacious.As for the two men in black, sharing the same tastes in tailors and luxury eyewear, I just pretended they didn’t exist.

Edo started.“Sienna, do you know why you’re here?”

Assuming ‘here’ was right now, I nodded.

“My son died last night.”

His words pinched at my chest.“I’m so sorry.I’ve lost my mother recently, and I know how painful it is to be left behind when a loved one dies.”

I thought his penetrating gaze softened, but I couldn’t be sure, so when he slanted back, I kept my back straight.

“Your father recently connected with you and made sure you were financially comfortable.”

My heartbeat gathered speed, and I cleared my throat.“Yes.”

The man leaned in.“Did you know he was ill?”

Nigel was ill?During dinner he’d looked sick but...I must have shaken my head because he continued, “His most optimistic doctors give him a couple of months at best.He needs a lung and a liver transplant, and you’re a match.”

Blood drained out my face, and pressure pounded against my eardrums.“W-what?”

Lenny’s voice filtered through my mashed brain as he frowned at Jake.“You haven’t told her?”

Whipping my eyes at Jake, whose jaw was clenched close to snapping, I dug my nails into my palms.“You knew?”

His hard gaze cut to mine as he notched his chin down in a curt nod.

I slumped in the corner of the sofa.Nigel’s behavior had felt off, sometimes creepily so.But this...this was...heinous.‘Call me, Dad’, he’d said.‘Move in with me’.‘We’re family’.

All this forced affection.Because he...Oh.God.Bile rose from the pit of my stomach.I cleared the tightness in my throat only to swallow the bitter taste in my mouth.

“I didn’t know,” I said to Edo.

He inched closer, and I held my breath.This man was dangerous.Lethally dangerous.

Edo’s steely voice sliced through the room.“Sienna, your father had my son killed.I could kill him myself, but I want him to feel death coming, knowing I have the one person who can save him.”

My heartbeat echoed through my whole body.A sound came out of my throat, and I clutched my chest.“I don’t...I don’t understand.”