Page 117 of Borden 3

“Oh, my God. Is he okay?”

He looked down at the floor. “I don’t know.”

I panicked all over again. It took me a long time to calm down. “What do we do, Theo?”

Now he finally stared me in the eyes. “I can’t be here, Emma. What I saw…What happened over there…I didn’t expect it. I thought…”

I tried to follow along but he wasn’t making any sense. “You were there?”

Did he have something to do with it? I stared at him, waiting for him to offer more details. He shut down, burying his face in his hands. “I didn’t expect a police officer to get shot, Emma. I just…I…I wanted the dealers there and for them to get arrested or something and then…I wouldn’t have to do it anymore, you know?”

I didn’t say anything. I brought the covers around myself, shivering from the cold, from his words. Was he responsible for the police being there? Did he want them to know what was happening down there?

None of the questions were asked. I was too frightened to know. To consider that…he played a part in a policeman getting hurt.

The silence ate at me. He barely moved. There was deep shame in his face. He looked broken, that ego scooped out of him whole.

“You’re alright,” I finally said softly. “You’re not hurt.”

His eyes welled with tears. I watched them spill out of him. “You won’t leave me, will you? Because of what happened? I'm sorry.”

I leaned over and took his hand into mine. “No. Never.”

His shoulders shook. “I just wanted a way out…”

My eyes felt raw. Things were so fucked. I didn’t know how to soothe him except to tug him closer. “No matter what, Theo, I’ll always be your friend. I’m not going anywhere, okay? I promise.”

He sobbed, breaking down for the first time since I met him. The weight of everything crashed down around us. He couldn’t bear the weight of it. I tried to shoulder it. Tried to let him know he wasn’t alone.

“I can’t be here, Emma. We have to run. Please. We have to get far away and then we can start over again. It’ll be different.”

I just nodded, my throat too closed up to respond.

I kept thinking of Granny.

Of the small little home she’d made for us.

A tear fell from my eye as I forcefully managed, “Yeah, Theo. A new start.”

Chapter Forty-One

Borden

The club was closed, the staff were gone. Even Linda was excused. Hawke offered biker protection, but Borden refused. He needed to handle this on his own. He needed to be able to count on his men. His security was high. At home, Lincoln was with Darlene and they were packing up. Emma should have been there with them, but she was stubborn. He didn’t fault her for wanting to be present.

In just half a day since the failed attack on Emma, the heat was turned up. Borden’s men were being targeted by random violence in the streets. His businesses were going up in flames. Random acts of terror were spreading throughout the city. Faceless as they were, the formed syndicate were making themselves heard.

Emma sat in her chair, tapping her pen, watching Borden as he sat down next to her.

“You’re nervous,” he murmured, eyes glimpsing at the recent message from Hector.

He was with Darlene and Link. They would be going to the safehouse. Borden felt at ease knowing Hector was at their side. He owed a lot to the Navarro brothers. Their loyalty was something Borden could count on. He felt shame that he had at times doubted Hector. He was nothing like his past.

Emma’s breathing was fast. “He’s plotting something.”

“Mm.”

She gaped at him. “You act so blase about it.”

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