Page 8 of Only Fools Rush

“Leona.” Wynn crossed his arms over his chest. “You should listen to Willow.”

“Come on, little vixen.” Ryuji held his hand out to her. “My legs are killing me, so the least you could do is come sit with me on the couch for a bit. I want a back massage.”

She eyed his outstretched hand. “Is that your favor?”

“Absolutelynot,” he blurted.

I frowned. What did that mean? Favors?

“Are you trying to distract me again?”

“Come on.” He wiggled his fingers. “Obi will make us some food. Your guard dog can taste test, so he knows nobody poisoned it.”

“Fuck you, ass?—”

“Dick—”

“Shut up,” Leona snapped, squeezing her eyes shut. “Both of you.”

Obi crossed his arms over his chest. Wynn glared at me, as if it weremyfault Ryuji always had to make things worse.

“Ryuji, can you stop being you for just a few minutes?” Leona asked with a tilt of her hip. “And Cas? Can you relax?”

After a few tense moments, I finally nodded. Leona turned to Ryuji.

He shrugged. “Come find out.”

“Impossible. You’re impossible.” She grabbed Ryuji’s outstretched hand, and a slice of jealousy cut through my chest. “Just a minute on the couch. Obi, can you make us some pasta? I love your vodka sauce. It reminds me of my mom’s.”

I swore the man’s chest puffed. “Of course.”

I rubbed my face. This was a fucking mess. We’d all been playing nice the past week, but now it felt like the gloves were off. Things had gone wrong tonight, and now our true faces were coming out. What were we going to do if we flat out didn’t like each other?

Ryuji groaned in pain when he and Leona went to settle on the couch. She rested her head against Ryuji’s shoulder and my chest twisted. What was I supposed to do now?

I could sit next to them and watch, but another minute with Ryuji was going to make me snap. I could sit in the kitchen, or help Obi cook, or do fucking…something.

Fuck. What was my place here?

My body was still healing. I got stuck with Ciel tonight at the club and couldn’t do shit. Look what happened. What good was I if I couldn’t protect her?

What if I lost her? Not just physically, but emotionally?

She had chosen me. I knew that. I knew we were meant to be together. But her feelings for me were still so new. What if she changed her mind?

Fuck.

I stomped back to our room to clear my head, leaving the rest of them behind.

3

CIEL

Four hours of combing through footage, hacking cameras, trying to ping cell phones, doingeverythingI could think of—and still, nothing.

Maximiliano Volpe was in the wind.

I had to find him.