Page 137 of Underground Prince

“I—damn it, Scar, we were friends. I had to do some shit things, but I did—do—have a friendship with you.”

“Yeah, one based on lies.” Though I felt a small pull of mournfulness at his honesty.

Once it was clear my grimness wasn’t dissolving, he sighed. “Did you tell Sax?”

I let him sweat, waited until his shoulders stiffened, he bunched his fists, and two splotches of red colored his cheeks.

“No,” I said.

His relief was palpable. “Good. Good girl.”

“Call me that again and you won’t have teeth to do it with.”

He dragged his hair off his face. “Scarlet…”

“I don’t want any more sincerities. You’re here to talk shop, so talk.”

“So long as you stop threatening to physically assault a government agent.”

He and I both knew I wouldn’t do a thing to hurt him, so I sent him a resigned scowl. “Ask me whatever the hell it is you want to ask so you can go away.”

“Have you gotten Trace to do the meet?”

“Not yet.” I sat on the couch, rubbing my fingers against my lips. “But there’s a plan.”

“Oh, yeah? What is it?”

“I haven’t found it yet.”

“That’s not good at all.” He chanced sitting beside me. When I didn’t bite off a finger, he relaxed. “Look, tell me right now you can’t do it, and I’ll call it off.”

My hand dropped to my lap.

“I’m serious. If our main guy isn’t there, if you’re a sitting duck for no reason, then this can’t go down tonight. I care about you, Scarlet, and you can hate me all you want but I refuse to put you in a pointless, unsafe position.”

It would be so simple to say the word, and if it was too difficult to do that, to nod my assent, and everything could go back the way it was. Except.

Theo was ready to leave. And if Gordon ever got wind of the attempts of tonight, the payback would be lethal. But arresting Trace could cripple him for a time. Not to mention the deal made with these agents. If I didn’t deliver, Theo was back to being fresh bait and they could nail him for whatever they currently had on him. If tonight didn’t happen, Trace would be free. His focus might remain on his brother, the one he competed with, the one he wanted nothing more than to trample, to be higher, preferable, the favored son of the father.

And these were just my deductions. Who knew what reality beheld.

“No,” I said to Kai. “It’ll be done. Trace’ll be there.”

“Are you—”

“I’m sure.”

“All right,” he said. “I’ll leave you to it. But call me if it doesn’t go right. Do anything to signal me if your instincts start ringing.”

“Okay.”

“Good-bye, Scarlet.”

Sensing the finality, I frowned, but he only smiled, a familiar lift reminding me of the night I met him. As he stood and let himself out without another word, I wished he did give me some real part of him during these weeks. All those moments we spent together, those patient teachings and happy mutterings when I played correctly, the small confessions and natural closeness, our camaraderie that wasn’t just convenient, but right.

Seized by the painful actuality that I might never see him again, I jumped off the couch. “I still owe you money!” I called after he closed the door.

His melodious laughter drifted through the open cracks.

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