Page 110 of Knights Game

“Has it?”

“Think about it for a minute.” And at least the fucker actually shuts his mouth.

“I’ve played right into their hands and shown my cards.”

“Exactly. They know I’m up to something, just like they now know you’re up to something. You trying to move against me has backfired.”

“Bollocks.” He mutters and I can’t control myself, I laugh and soon Levi has joined in. “Whatever comes next involves me and Duchess.”

“It was always going to involve you and Duchess.”

“Yes, but before it was my plan, my moves…now—”

“You’re in the dark as much as we are.”

“So, the logical next step…”

“Pool our resources to put ourselves on stronger footing.”

“See, Luca, we can speak the same language.”

“Occasionally when you’re not being an utter bellend.”

He laughs again, transforming him into the carefree, fun Levi I haven’t seen since we were kids. “I may not know their next steps, but I know mine. I want a fucking shower in antiseptic gel.”

I grin. “I’m going to sleep for a fucking day. But we need to get the girls moved as soon as we can, I keep expecting the police to appear any fucking minute.”

“That’s what I don’t understand, why haven’t they?” Levi asks looking up the empty road. “If this was a setup, surely we should have had police crawling up our arseholes.”

“No idea. Maybe someone upstairs was feeling kind —”

“Luca?” Layla calls softly from the warehouse door. She walks over, handing us each a bottle of water. “You look like sh—”

“I’m aware.”

She crouches down, taking my wrist and placing her fingers over my pulse.

“What are you doing?” I ask looking down to her fingers, then back up to her face, her mouth moving as she counts.

“I would say it’s fairly obvious.” She replies after a beat. “Roman said you haven’t eaten or drunk anything, and not slept for days.” She says, her tone full of…fuck I’m not even sure what it’s full of.

Annoyance, sarcasm, disappointment.

All of the above.

“And on that note,” Levi says, “I’ll leave you two.”

“Oh, now he realises there are boundaries,” I mutter. “Are you alright?” I ask, searching her face as she flops down next to me, I don’t miss the wince.

“Are you?”

“You’re the doc. What’s the verdict, will I live to see another day?”

“I mean you’re not going to die in the next five minutes, but that doesn’t mean you’re out the woods yet, I want to kill you.”

“I would say I’m sorry, but—”

“What exactly are you sorry for, Luca? Last night or dragging me into a crime scene, again?”

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