Page 45 of The Silencer

“Yeah, don’t want them to think you’re running scared. Maybe we should have Bane send them a little present.”

I eye my friend and nod. “Have him do that. Let him pick.”

Luca grins and pats my shoulder. “Will do, Boss. Will do.”

When I finally get home, I’m still riding the high of the cocaine. My veins are zinging with the after effects. I’m exhausted, but the adrenaline rush is keeping me going. I make my way to Doc’s office on my property, letting him clean and stitch me up, placing a waterproof bandage on over the wound on my arm.

He eyes me sadly when Luca relays what happened.

He’s made visits to my workers, he knows some of them personally.

I can see the fire in his serious eyes before I finally make my way out and back toward the house.

Luca and I will discuss more in detail how to proceed from here, after the drugs have left our bodies.

I need a shower before I can do any such thing.

My feet carry me across the lawn to the front door, and I see Tatum sitting on the porch, a book near him, a laptop on his thighs.

His eyes sweep over me, taking in my exposed torso and the blood which has dried on my arm.

The laptop snaps shut, and he pushes himself to his feet.

“Oh my god, what happened to you?” he asks, moving toward me. His hands press against my chest, and I feel the zing of his touch all the way to my toes.

Or maybe that’s the cocaine.

I’m not sure.

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m stitched up,” I say as he removes the ruined shirt from my shoulder and stares at the patch on my arm.

“Why the hell are you stitched up?” he asks, his eyes meeting mine.

I feel my heart pounding in my chest, galloping out of control.

I need fucking control.

With a blink, I step around him, letting his hands fall from me, and stalk toward the stairs. I really need a fucking shower and a nap.

In that order.

No Tatum. None.

But if I thought walking away would stop him, I was wrong. He follows me, huffing and puffing as he tries to meet my strides.

“Honestly, slow down, daddy long legs. Jesus,” he says as he follows me into my room. He doesn’t even hesitate, doesn’t ask, but then again, why did I think he would? Nothing’s ever stopped him before.

“You need to leave,” I say as I move toward the bathroom and flip on the water.

He eyes me, pursing his lips.

“No thank you. I’m going to supervise and make sure you’re safe. It’s obvious you lost a lot of blood. You could faint.”

He waves his hands all around and then lets them flop to his sides, placing them on his hips and looking out into the main room.

“And then when you’re safe, I’m going to snoop. Because I’m going to be honest, Anthony. I’ve been dying to look in your room.”

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