Page 74 of Mob Princess

“Was this because of Ewan or because of me?” I speak only loud enough for Cormac to understand me.

“We don’t know. Either, both, or something entirely separate. Has your brother tried to contact you since you left his place?”

I pull out my phone, surprised to see six missed calls from Justin. There’re none from Ewan. I hit my voicemail as I sit up. There’s only one recording to listen to.

“Nikki, you’re making a huge mistake. You need to stay away from Sean. It’s not safe. You’re more likely to wind up dead than waking up in bed with him.”

His voice is beseeching not warning. I look up at Cormac before I stand up. “I need to make this call.”

I walk to where I can be reasonably alone in an Emergency Room waiting room. I listen to the message one more time before tapping the phone icon.

“Nik—”

“Did you do it?” I don’t let him finish the word.

“Do what? What happened? You weren’t at Jesse’s when I got there. He said you went to meet Sean.”

“Why did you go to Jesse’s?”

“Because your brother’s on the fucking rampage. I knew you wouldn’t listen to me over the phone. You didn’t answer my calls.”

“I didn’t see them come in. And you had to be here before you made the first one.”

“I didn’t trust you not to bolt if you knew I was on the way. What happened? Are you safe?”

“Yeah. Something happened, but I won’t say over the phone. What’s Ewan doing?”

“I won’t say that over the phone. You need to come back to Boston. I can get you on a flight to Montreal.”

“You think I need to go to Canada?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen Ewan this pissed before. He believes you told the O’Rourkes about some deal. Whether you did or didn’t, he thinks you leaving this morning proves you’re conspiring with them. Tell me where you are. I’ll come and get you. You need distance from Sean.”

“That is the last thing I need right now.”

Fucking hell!!!

I look at my phone screen and tap the settings icon.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

My location services are on. He already knows where I am. I turn it off. The moment I’m off this call, I’m turning the phone off and dumping it somewhere. I’ll stick to the burners. I fucked this one up royally. I run my hand through my hair.

“Nikki, don’t do this. Let me get you on the flight home, then you can sort things out once you’re out of his reach.”

I glance over at Cormac and Seamus, who’s now sitting beside his brother. I know Sean has an identical twin, but these two could be twins, too. I was inches away from that bullet hitting me. But I don’t regret being with Sean. If it was for him, he protected me. If it was for me, he protected me. Either way, he put my life before his. I’m not leaving him while he’s in the hospital because that would be a shit thing to do. But I’m also not leaving him because I still feel safer with him—and, by extension his cousins—than I do anyone else.

I want to think I can still trust Justin. Sean asked if Justin had feelings for me. I don’t know. I don’t think so. But maybe he does. Or maybe he’s trying to dupe me to get me back to Ewan. He’s as loyal to my brother as Colt, and Colt would do that in a heartbeat.

“I am out of his reach. I’m going nowhere with you or anyone else connected to my brother. Goodbye.”

“But—”

I hang up. I turn the phone off. This shitstorm tempts me to crush the phone or at least break it somehow, but that could be shortsighted. I go back to the brothers and relay the conversation to them. Their grim expressions leave me at a loss as to what I should think now.

“Nikki, if you don’t want to go with this guy when he shows up, then you won’t. If you change your mind and want to, then we’ll still guard you.”

“No. You are not leaving Sean here unprotected. And I am not leaving here until he’s walking out, holding my hand. Justin can try, but he has never gotten me to bend to his will. It has always been the other way around.”

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