Page 81 of The Fractured

My hands fumbled for the travel bag under the bed before I took the handle and flipped the bag onto the covers.

“You’re back early.” Lily stopped in the bathroom doorway, but the pleasant look on her face disappeared as she saw what I was doing.

My thoughts, however, were quickly snagged by what she was wearing: A baby blue, satin lingerie-type dress. The delicate fabric clung to the top of her breasts and hung loosely over her body, yet somehow framed every curve and shape beneath.

And her legs.

Lily might’ve only been 5’3”, but her legs were long for her stature.

If this was any other time— Holy fuck.

Lily wasn’t as distracted as me. She frowned at the bag. “What’s going on?”

I cleared my throat and moved to her dresser, where I began pulling clothes. Keeping them in their folded state, I shoved them into the bag. “We need to go.”

“Why?” Despite her question, she began pulling on an oversized hoodie and leggings, leaving the lingerie on underneath, and whipped her freshly styled, wavy hair into a claw clip.

“Gabriele figured out what Antonio is doing. They know my first name.” I zipped the bag. “Somethin’ feels off, so I’m takin’ you to your parents’ place.”

“No, wait—how would I be any safer with my parents than I am here? And what about your mom? We should stay at yours.” She came around the bottom of the bed to be at my side, and then sat on the covers and crossed her legs.

“She’s staying with a friend tonight— He hasn’t seen her face, and doesn’t know our last name. But you.” I stopped what I was doing to look solely at her. “Gabriele knows your face.”

Lily’s throat bobbed, and the slightest hint of fear settled in her blue eyes.

On the road to her parents, I watched my mirrors to make sure we weren’t being followed.

Lily sat quietly in the front seat, playing with the hem of her hoodie as she glanced out the window. Every so often, she would uncross and cross her legs. Or wrap her arms around her middle.

The silence was deafening.

When I glanced at her side-on and noticed that she was chewing the inside of her cheek, I placed a hand on her thigh and squeezed gently. It pulled her attention off whatever was going on in her head, and she smiled faintly, but the worried crease between her eyebrows remained.

Chapter 29

Seb

I hung up after the call to Anita, who was less than pleased about staying alert about a potential threat from a gang member. She decided going on an impromptu family road trip to Mom’s was a better option than hiding at home, but she had many strongly worded opinions to get off her chest first before our phone call ended.

At the same time, Kira distracted herself by flipping through my record collection under the one window in my tiny apartment — the place consisted of a kitchen, bedroom and living room in the one small space, and a bathroom off the kitchen that was more like a cupboard with a shower head and toilet inside. But it was tidy, unlike the rest of the apartment block, and Kira seemed to like it the second she came through the front door when she exclaimed, “Oh, it’s so cute in here!”

That was right before Dean called with the bad news; Gabriele and his sisters were aware of shit and that wasn’t good. Everyone was on temporary lockdown, including us.

I tossed my keys and phone on the bed and ran my hands over my shaved head to interlock my fingers behind my neck.

Kira straightened from my record collection and pressed her lips together tightly as she paused by the window. “So.”

I half smiled. “Do you regret getting involved with a fighter?”

She shrugged off the comment. “Aiden got me involved.”

“Yeah, but he wasn’t fighting. Or working for a crime boss.” I peeled off my jacket.

“It’s scary, yes, but no regrets.” She wandered over, unlooping her hessian bag from her shoulder and placing it on the floor by the counter. “Some sleazy, criminal, night club owners aren’t going to stop me exploring this.” She slung her arms around my shoulders and leaned into me.

My hands went to her waist, and slowly, we began to sway from side to side. “You know it means we have to lay low for some time? Which means maybe staying indoors for more than a few days. Ordering food. Maybe staying in bed more often.”

“What a shame.” Sarcasm pulled at the corners of her mouth.