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“Shit. Sorry to hear that.” I leaned into her because I was dizzy as fuck. “What happened to him?”
She peered down at the floor, clearly suffering to even think about it. “He was killed.”
“Ah, fuck? By who?”
The side of her body to mine, she peered up at me. When her eyes met mine, they were full of immense pain. Then she whispered, “The owner of this club… My fiancé.”
Jesus. H. Christ.
Chapter ten
Holding Hearts
Lynx
Even though I was doused in my own physical pain, I could surprisingly feel her emotional turmoil. The reason this caught me off-guard was that for many years, I was just young and selfish. Being in my early thirties didn’t mean I had matured much yet. Or, at least, I didn’t feel my actions were comparable to my father’s. He was the leader of the pack. The man who carefully reacted in the best interest of his men and family, busy taking responsibility for others while I held my middle finger out to the world. To be honest, I wanted to shine bright, too, but that’s almost impossible when standing next to the sun.
Now, here I was, in a closet with a woman I had just met yet was somehow instantly invested. Understanding that this stranger was in some sort of warped relationship impacted me on a level I hadn’t experienced before.
I actually gave a fuck.
Would I have laid my life down for a brother? Hell yes.
A girl? Besides my sister? Fuck no.
So, why was Green Eyes already under my skin? Why was I giving a shit and speaking with disgust? “This shit sounds mafia. You’re in some sort of twisted engagement, aren’t you?” Because there was something to her that was triggering memories and emotions buried long ago.
She swallowed and nodded. “Twisted is putting it lightly. This Italian prince has the ego of ten men combined.” She tried to guide me closer to the door, but I was refusing to budge. “VP, time to go.”
“Ego? He killed your pops. What are you, some sort of perverse trophy?”
She exhaled an exhaustion she had kept hidden so well up to this point. “I’m a trophy, a weapon, and a prisoner.” She shook her head, dismissing thoughts we had no time for. “Now, can we please get you out of here, so I don’t have to witness yet another death?”
Yet another—She witnessed her father’s death? I felt for her. I really did. Her life was a mess—
Souls are stronger than blood, spoke Mom again, freaking me out.
But, clearly, I was still dying. “Yeah, babe. I won’t put you through that.”
Her sad eyes softened. “Thank you.” Still supporting me, she reached for the doorknob. “Any minute now, the DJ is going to do a toast. They do one every night to keep alcohol sales moving. Everyone will have a drink in hand and be focused on him, so we can slip out the back door.”
Suddenly remembering the reason I was no longer outside, I told Green Eyes, “I’ve got some bad guys looking for me.”
“No shit?”
Her sarcasm had me proudly smirking. Not wanting her in more trouble than she was already in for helping me, I said, “You should stay in the club.”
From a shelf with more supplies, she grabbed a box-cutting knife. “Let’s hope the ‘bad guys’ are easier to handle than my fiancé’s thugs.”
At that moment, I realized God was cruel. He had given me a glimpse of the perfect girl, then made it impossible for me to have her. “You’re defying murderers to help me. You talked back to my dad—which no one does,” —except me—“or at least lives to brag about. And you have a weapon in your hand. If I were willing to let a girl in my heart, Green Eyes, it would be you.”
Amused, she grinned. “Girl with a blade is what it takes, huh?”
I stared at the door that would take me closer to a goodbye I didn’t want. “Girls with balls, apparently, are my weakness.” I chuckled. “Who would have known I prefer balls when I’ve been chasing pussy this whole time?”
Staring at the door, Green Eyes blew out a breath. “Would you think less of me if I told you my balls are trembling?”
I tightened my arm around her. “No, because that would make me a hypocrite.”
