Page 87 of Bound

This time, my arm is around him.

I’m the one holding him up.

After a moment, he says, “It was pre-recorded.”

“From Carlos?” I guess.

“Yes.”

My heart stops beating, the air leaving my lungs. “What did he say?”

“Let me play it for you.” He slips his phone from his pocket and, with a swipe of his finger, lights his screen.

Carlos appears. He’s looking solemn. “Lucian, if you are receiving this message, then know, even in death, I will prevail. I will win. And everyone who has betrayed me will die. I have made sure of this.”

“Where is this going?” I murmur.

“You’ll see.”

Carlos stares at the camera. “This was to be sent to you in the case of my death. To tell you that even dead, I will still haunt you. And I’m coming for someone very close to you.”

I give an audible gasp. Lucian puts a hand on my thigh to steady me.

The screen goes black.

He holds the phone with its screen darkened in his hand. “He had no men there, Erin. Literally, only two guards in the Village. And they didn’t stand a chance against us.” He shakes his head, gripping my thigh. “We cornered him. We exposed him. We took every route, every file, every woman he tried to use. He died with nowhere left to go.”

“And now he’s going to haunt us? What does that even mean?” I think for a minute. Then, look around me.

“The guards,” I say. “The round-the-clock security. Cass and Ryan still in Norway. You know something more than you’re saying. Don’t you?”

He sighs.

“Lucian…”

Finally, he says, “Because there was one more part to the message.”

“Show me.”

“I can’t.” He looks away from me, almost sheepish.

“Lucian,” I say.

He doesn’t respond.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing. I only got rid of the last part. Before the screen cuts to black. I knew you’d want to see the message the moment I told you about it.” He looks at me. “But there was no need for you to see that part.”

“Lucian…” There is no point in arguing with this man. I skip that part and go for what I need to know. “Tell me what it said.”

“It said.” Anger flashes over his face and darkens his eyes. There he is. The monster within the man. “He said that he’s made sure of it.”

“Of what?”

“That the Morettis are coming.” He looks at me. “For her.”

I freeze as ice creeps into my veins.