Page 15 of Chaos Luck Wrath

“It’s only temporary.” He ran his hand up along the side of her neck before stroking his thumb across her cheek tenderly. It killed him to see Layne making the difficult decision of parting ways with a piece of her heart, not knowing what was going to happen after this was all done and over.

Layne stared into his gentle eyes and she wanted more than anything to believe him. “I hope so.” She ducked into the backseat.

After each of the guys took up the seats up front, Joey drove them to Penn Station. The air was thick with silence the entire trip. Rebecca reached over and held Layne’s hand tightly. It was the only communication needed between them.

Once they were inside the busy train station, Layne stood in front of Rebecca. “I knowthere’s a lot up in the air right now, so I want you to take this.” She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a thick envelope. “It should be more than enough to pay the bills for a few months.”

Rebecca shook her head adamantly. “Layne…I can’t take this.” Her hand pushed the envelope back toward Layne.

“No, you can. Please, Rebecca.” Layne reached over and grabbed her friend’s hand and placed the money-filled envelope into her palm. “It’s the least I can do for uprooting you away from your life here so suddenly.”

Reluctantly her friend accepted the wad of cash safely secured in the envelope. Shoving it into one of her bags she gratefully looked at Layne. “I plan on giving every dollar in here straight back to you when I come back.”

Forcing a light smile past the looming goodbyes quickly approaching them, Layne leaned in for one last hug. “And I will still argue with you when you do.”

A barely coherent voice came over the speaker system, announcing the boarding for Rebecca’s train. Rebecca squeezed Layne even tighter than she had earlier. “Be safe.”

Layne responded with as much reassurance as she could muster, “I always am.”

“Fucking liar,” Rebecca quickly retorted with a grin.

They both shared a soft laugh to overshadow the grim truth.

Releasing the woman she considered a sister, Layne shooed her with her hand. “Get outta here before you miss your train.”

Drawing in a breath to find the courage to go through with this, Rebecca looked at the two men standing close by. “You two better take care of her.” She wagged a finger at them threateningly.

Joey grinned. “Don’t worry, Rebecca, she’s in good hands.”

“As long as she listens to us for once,” Gage smirked, then shot a look at Layne.

Rebecca put on her bravest face, readjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder, and pulled her miniature suitcase with her as she took the first steps towards the stairs leading down to the platform. Before she was out of sight, she looked back at Layne and blew her a kiss.

Without a second thought, Layne blew one right back. She didn’t want to imagine if this was her bestie’s last memory of their time together, but Layne sure as hell hoped it would be a positive one.

She stood there long after Rebecca disappeared down the steps to get on that train down to Baltimore. “Now is your chance to join her if either of you want a ticket out. I’m not going to ask either of you to stay here with me knowing how messy this is going to get.”

Layne knew it was a long shot, but she wished they would both take her up on the offer. If she didn’t need to worry about either man’s safety, maybe there was a chance she could keep her head screwed on straight.

“Always and forever, Layney. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Joey’s hand slid across her upper back to rest on her shoulder.

Gage’s hand did the same and rested on her opposite shoulder. “You’re my Lucky Charm, that’s not something that you just leave behind. I’m afraid you’re stuck with me too, baby.”

She slowly nodded. “Okay, then. Let’s find out what other fucked up plans Liam has.”

Chapter Eight

FAMILY DISPUTES

Layne groaned, rubbing the heels of her palms over her eyes as she sat at her desk. It was nearly three in the damn morning. She knew she was burning the candle at both ends but couldn’t find it within herself to give a fuck and surrender to her body’s demands for rest. Time was of the essence if she was playing catch-up on whatever strategy Liam had been concocting for months, if not years.

She had snuck out of bed in her black joggers and matching cropped camisole, leaving Joey soundly asleep while he caught up on his still much-needed rest and recovery. Despite his reassurances, he was nowhere near back to his prime after the shooting.

As for her other love, Gage was likely wrapping up at Cassidy’s Chains about now, the recently renamed strip club-turned-night club. Whether he intended to come back here or just crash at his condo was always a toss-up on any given night.

After speaking with her senior advisor, Thomas, earlier in the evening, it was noted that the relations between her alliances were getting dicey. Contradicting reports were coming in about who did and did not support Layne after the misfortune of events the day she and Joey were married. Some factions thought Liam’s move was ballsy enough that perhaps he was a worthy connection to side with. Regardless of Thomas’ words of comfort, this would all blow over in time, she didn’t feel any less stressed out. All her hard work to get where she was and now Liam’s emergence was fucking it to hell and back.

Now here she was listening to Jonathan, her prized political negotiator, about how another faction was refusing to do so much as keep their eyes or ears open for Liam and whatever crew he was working with. How was it that no one could tell her the extent of what he had managed to pull together underneath her nose? He had gone dark and nobody knew a thing? She found that fucking hard to believe.

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