Page 97 of Reclaiming Adelaide

“No.” I shook my head.

Charity stood with two packed bags, Max next to her with one of his own.

“Morning, sunshine. Ready for a road trip?”

“No. You’re not coming with us.”

“Actually, she is,” Luca said as he walked out of the kitchen. “You dragged us into this, and they struck my home, killing two of my men.”

“He’s given me permission to have fun, Jake. Do you know how often he’s allowed that outside of the bedroom?” She leaned in and made a circle with her fingers. “This many times. Don’t be a party popper.”

“Isn’t it pooper?” Adelaide asked behind me.

Charity laughed. “Sorry, inside joke.”

“She’s not coming.” I continued walking outside to the Bentley and tossed our gear in the back.

Charity and I didn’t get along. They all knew that. So sticking us in a car together was bad news. It’s not that I didn’t appreciate her help finding Adelaide, but we had a long history together, and there were things we couldn’t fix—like her loud mouth.

“This isn’t an option,” Luca said.

“And if I refuse?”

A smile that reeked of warning bells tipped his lips. “Is that something you want to try?”

Things kept getting more complicated the more time went by. “Fine.”

“Great. It’s settled then,” he said as if we just decided on a vacation spot.

Charity and Max brought their gear out and struggled, tossing it in the back, along with ours.

“What’s in that?” I asked as Max stepped in and lifted it for her.

“Guns, grenades, knives. The whole shebang.” She wiped her hands as though her suitcase contained a year’s worth of dust.

I groaned. If we got pulled over with all of that shit…

“Come back in one piece,” Luca said, grabbing Charity’s ass and pulling her into him.

I rounded the car before they sucked face. “Get in. We’re wasting time.”

Charity and Max slipped into the back seat while I opened Adelaide’s door and set her inside.

My thigh ached with a burning sting as I shut the door, glaring at Luca for putting me in such a position, and walked around to the driver’s side.

This would be a disaster of epic proportions, and we were at the center of the storm.

29

Myworldpeeledaway,rotting layer by layer until all that was left was a raw, bloody coating of singed nerves. The color in the sky hemorrhaged into the background as I stared at the scenery zipping by.

We’d been on the road for three hours, and Charity hadn’t stopped bobbing her head to the music pounding away in her headphones.

A burning hit my chest. She felt happiness, heard music, and moved so carefree. It wasn’t fair.

After all, I’d only tried to keep everyone safe, and it backfired. Now more people were involved in solving a problem they shouldn’t be part of.

My lids bobbed the moment we put tires to the road, but I refused to let them close. Instead, I played with my lip and stared out into the colorless abyss.

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