Page 59 of My Silver Fox Savior

I love her.

As I think the words, I let out a shaky breath. It’s the truth. I love her. I don’t care if it’s the diagnosis that has spurred me to realize this so fast. It doesn’t change the facts. I love Lily so much that it hurts thinking about a future without her. My life will have meaning if I can ensureshegets a future.

This bar sits across from the dockyard, an old chipped painting of a pirate-style tankard above the door. Two burly men swagger across the street toward me the second I pull up. I recognize them from the bar, but all these bastards begin to look alike after a while.

“Are you armed?” one of them asks as I step from the car. He’s got a flat face and a nose that’s been broken a few times. The other is big and tough-looking, too, but minus the deformed nose.

“No,” I tell him.

The other one snorts. “That was a mistake.”

“Hey, it’s his funeral. Are you going to come with us peacefully?” The one with the broken nose snaps. “Or are you going to make it difficult for us, eh?”

“At least he came alone,” the other one says.

Broken nose nods, looking at me seriously. “The boss would’ve had some fun if you’d tried any bullshit. He’s not happy. Lennie, is it good when the boss ain’t happy?”

“Not one fucking bit.”

“Come on.” The man steps forward and grabs my arm. When I instinctively move away, he squeezes on harder. “If you want to play this game, all I’ve got to do is send one text to the boss, and your girl will be in for one hell of a time. Did you seriously think we wouldn’t be watching your apartment, tough guy? We saw you go in together. Personally, she’s not my type. Go on. Lie. Tell us she’s nothing to you. We’ll take you seriously.”

I stare into his eyes, letting him know wordlessly I’d happily tear him to tiny, bloody pieces. “She’severythingto me,” I snarl.

“Good.” A shit-eating grin smears across his face. “That means you won’t try anything stupid, then.”

With no other choice, I go with the men. No weapons. No backup. I keep telling myself whatever it takes. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get my Lily, even if it means losing my life earlier than I thought I was going to anyway.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

LILY

Iwant to tell Maddie I’m sorry, but Damon has stuffed rags in our mouths. We’re tied back-to-back at the rear of the bar. Men sit around the edges, most armed, though they haven’t drawn their weapons. Damon paces up and down, punching one fist into the open palm of his other hand. He’s getting himself ready for something.

When I snuck out of the apartment and began walking down the street, a car honked its horn at me. Inside, there were two men. Both of them were mobsters. Both of them were leering at me. “Get in,” one grunted. What choice did I have?

I can’t believe I’ve put Maddie in danger. If something happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself, and what if something happens to Landon? Even if the doctor has put him on a timeline anyway, it doesn’t make any of this okay.

The door bursts open; a man drags Landon behind him. Well, he’s got his hand on Landon’s arm, but it’s clear Landon is moving on his own. Nobody could drag Landon or make him do something he doesn’t want to except by threatening me.

“Ah, finally,” Damon says, clapping his hands together. “Landon, old buddy, old pal. It’s so nice of you to join us.”

He stares across the bar at me. I look into my man’s eyes—my man. With my own death so clearly possible, I can’t hold back those thoughts anymore. I want to be his. I’ve wanted it for a long time, but in a silly, childish way. This is real. If we had the chance, I would spend the rest of my life with him.

“Did he come alone?” Damon asks one of his goons.

“Yeah,” the man grunts. “Fucking idiot.”

“You must really care about this one, Landon,” Damon says, gesturing at me. “You’ve got to know that nothing good will happen now. You need to understand that.”

“I understand you need to feel tough,” Landon growls. “I understand that all of this—grooming the kids, intimidating people in their own homes—is for you, Damon. It’s soyoucan look tough.”

“Look tough?” Damon snaps. “That’s one way to phrase it, but I’m not as interested in looks as I am in facts, buddy. First things first, be a champ and get on your knees for me. You’ll have to do some good old-fashioned begging to make up for your little stunt last night. You seriously concussed one of my men. Are you proud of that?”

Landon hesitates. He looks down at Damon with every muscle swelling, with his savage features contorted into pure fury.

“You think you’re too good to beg?”

Damon spins and rushes over to us, then tears the tape off my mouth. I gasp as spit slides down my chin, and the gag falls out.

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