Page 142 of Underground Prince

“And it’s brought you back to Cassie,” he deduced.

“I lost her. And I don’t want to lose him.”

Noah nodded, and I at once understood what he’d been saying to me and how it was between us. He knew. Without requiring words or explanations, he could read the fractures in my heart like no one else could.

“Do you need my help?” he asked.

“Your car,” I said. “If I could borrow it for a few hours…”

“I’ll give you the keys. But you have to tell me everything first. Talk to me, Scarlet. Please.”

And so I did. It was tough in the beginning, unleashing fears and words that I’d held back for so long, but it became easier as he listened, the ebb and flow of my sentences rushing out. The FBI, Gordon and Trace, the threat of being double-crossed, my worries for Theo, all the terrible things that could happen with the simple catch of a trigger…

“Jesus,” he said when I finished.

“I’ve done stupid things. Gotten involved in situations I had no business stumbling into, but now it’s Theo. He’s out there, completely ignorant. And it’s—”

“It’s not your fault,” Noah cut in. “Don’t you dare.”

“Help me.” It came out so pleading, but I was past maintaining a strong front.

He stood, holding out a hand to help me up. “You’re throwing yourself into a sticky situation, but sadly, I get it. I’m with you. So let’s go.”

I went rigid. “You’re not coming with me.”

“Of course I am.”

“No way. It’s too—”

“Dangerous? You really think I’m going to leave you alone to skulk around mobster territory without any protection? I don’t think so. I’m coming.”

I was ready to get into it with him, refusing to allow anything to happen to Noah and kicking myself for getting him involved. But Cassie swam in his eyes. It was only for a moment, but she was there, looking out at me through him, reminding me that Noah loved me like she did. Noah would protect me because she asked him to.

“Fine,” I relented, but it ached to do it. “But if anything happens...”

He laid a hand on my shoulder. “I’m well aware of how it would feel if anything went wrong.”

“You’re staying in the car,” I said.

“My choice, Letty.”

He sighed as I headed to the front door. Time was precious and we’d lost a lot of it.

“Is there anything else we need to do before we wander into a drug bust?” he asked behind me.

“Um.” I fidgeted in the doorway. “Do you still have your dad’s not-so-hidden handgun?”

“Are you fucking serious?”

* * *

Noah and I drove to Williamsburg without saying much, listening to our own personal dialogue in our heads, amping up in our separate ways.

His phone buzzed between our seats, and Verily’s picture popped up.

“Don’t answer it!” I said.

“Obviously,” he snapped. His phone went silent and his voicemail dinged. But I could no longer resist the urge and pulled out my own phone.

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