Page 140 of Underground Prince

“I’m going,” I wasn’t proud, pushing her to such a point without letting her know what was really going on, but what was I supposed to tell her? I’m involved in an FBI sting operation and in order to exonerate Theo I have to bring myself to the Saxon don’s attention? That would be so much worse than her simmering anger right now.

“Stop! Just stop!” Verily’s eyes shimmered. “I love you. You are like my sister, but I’ve had enough. Your idiosyncrasies have transformed into a damned death warrant!” She found my forearm. “If you do this, Scar, so help me. I will be done with you. I…” Her lip trembled, and she gripped tighter. “I cannot stand by and watch you crave a tomb any longer.”

My exhale was so close to including an explanation. Her face, her dear soul, and here I was stabbing the knife, twisting it until it tore skin and exposed bone. And, as slivers fell off my heart, I knew I would soon follow.

“I’m going with him to the docks no matter what the hell you say.” I tried to sound indignant. I really did. This wouldn’t work if Trace didn’t believe it. “Cinderella is getting her fucking luxury quarters!”

“W—” Verily studied me as if I’d just revealed my alien self. “Are you on drugs?”

Finishing my beer, I slammed it down on the bar. “We’re done, Vare.”

“Scarlet!”

Verily’s voice trailed after me, with Erin, Lila and Jamal no doubt mouthing “What the fuck?” to each other, but I was out of the bar before I cave in and stay with them.

That had to work. The bartender would tell Trace, and he would raise the devil knowing that Theo was taking me to the transfer. Even go there himself to stop it from happening.

Though, in order for this plan to complete itself, I had to be there.

Subways were out of the question, as Williamsburg sucked when it came to that. The one train that did go there wouldn’t drop me off anywhere near where I had to be, and hailing a cab or calling a car was even worse. “I’m sorry sir, but could you turn your headlights off a block before my destination and slow to a crawl? I swear it’s for nothing suspicious.” I might as well ask for a police escort with sirens.

Hell, I shouldn’t be there. My only task was to get Trace, which, if his ego was anything to go on, would be successful as soon as word got back to him.

It was too bad that Nate, Vance, even Kai thought I’d recognize the death trap and listen to them. Stay away, like they said. Let them handle it, like they promised.

Except that Theo was mine. I was his.

Come tsunamis, hurricanes, apostles of hell and their horsemen, I would protect him no matter the cost to the world.

Unfortunately, though my heart beat with the strength of a thousand soldiers, getting there was a different story.

Ah, damn it.

I only knew one person with a vehicle in Manhattan.

29

BULLETPROOF

“Scarlet?” Noah answered the door, his expression slack with surprise.

I aimed for a smile, but it was too rushed and angsty to mean anything. “Can I come in?”

“Uh.” He stepped back. “Sure.”

“How was the library?” I burst past him, tried to sit on the couch, but I was about to snap. I stood up.

“What are you doing here?” There was an edge to his tentativeness.

“I want to say something else, first.” My energy ping-ponged around the room, and I took a deep breath to center myself. None of this would work if I screamed out demands and knocked him out to steal his keys. And Noah didn’t deserve that.

“I’m sorry,” I blurted, louder and more emotional than it sounded in my head. “For acting like I have toward you, for making it seem like it was your fault when I know it wasn’t, for laying blame on you when I couldn’t”—I choked up—“when I couldn’t handle it myself. We were both in that car. There’s no special black hole for the one grieving the most. We shared the loss, and I didn’t allow you to fill the space beside me. I didn’t…I didn’t allow us to help each other.”

The hum of the heater filled the answering silence, its thrumming groan matching the soundless one inside me. It would be easy to fall on my knees, to cry through the night and pray for the best, huddling away from the threat and allowing Theo to take care of it. But I wasn’t that woman anymore. There was no facing anything alone.

“You’ve given me over a year of silence,” Noah said.

I nodded, holding back a gush of agony.

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