Page 61 of Red Dreams

I don't question what kind of emergencies a Mafia boss might need an escape boat for. I'm just glad it's there.

We hurry toward it, Kaden carrying Ethan in his arms like a damsel now. When we reach the boat, I clamber in and try to make Ethan as comfortable as possible when Kaden sets him down on the bottom of the boat while Cassie unties the mooring line.

“L … Layla?” Ethan rasps, his brows scrunching together while I toss a scratchy wool blanket over him.

“Ethan?” My hands still. “Ethan?”

Relief crashes over me, so powerful I nearly collapse beside him.

“What happened?”

His voice is a hoarse whisper, barely audible over the lapping of the waves against the boat. I grip the side for support.

“You're okay,” I say, reaching out to brush his hair back from his forehead. “We got you out.”

He frowns, his gaze drifting past me to take in the boat, the stars, and the fog-shrouded cliffs. “Out?”

Kaden comes into view, taking up position at the outboard motor. Ethan notices.

Ethan struggles to sit up, wincing as the movement pulls at his injuries. I hover, torn between the urge to help him and the knowledge that he probably doesn't want to be touched right now.

“You broke my neck.” Ethan’s mangled hand goes to his throat. He grimaces when his broken fingers take the pressure. “I felt it. I was dying. How…?”

“A trick. A very convincing one.” Kaden shifts his weight, the boat rocking beneath him. “I'm sorry. I had to make it look real.”

A hoarse laugh bubbles up Ethan's throat. “Real? My broken fingers are sure as hell real.”

“Hey,” I say softly, finally giving in to the urge to touch him, my hand resting on his shoulder. “I know. What Kaden did ... it's a lot. But he did it to save you. To save us both.”

Ethan catches my eye, searching. For what, I'm not sure. Reassurance? Sanity? An explanation for the nightmare he's just woken up from?

“You're really okay?” he asks, his voice small and uncertain.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak around the lump in my throat.

Ethan’s attention slides suddenly to the left and over my shoulder. I follow his movement in time to see Cassie flutter a wave at him from her seat.

“Thefuck?” Ethan goes ramrod straight.

I wince at Ethan's reaction, glancing between him and Cassie. Her smile is sharp with amusement as she watches Ethan's confusion morph into panic.

“It's okay,” I say quickly, trying to draw his attention back to me. “She's with us now. Sort of.”

Ethan's gaze darts from Cassie to Kaden, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. “With us? She's Morelli's daughter. She's the one who kidnapped you in the first place!”

“Things have changed,” Kaden says, his voice low and even.

Cassie’s smile widens. “I’ve had a change of heart.”

Ethan barks out a harsh laugh. “A change of heart? Is that what we're calling it when the daughter of a psychotic mob boss decides to switch teams?”

Kaden's head snaps around.

“Watch your mouth,” he growls.

“Homicidal tendencies must be genetic,” Ethan mutters.

Cassie leans back, crossing her arms over her chest. “To be fair, I wasn't going to kill Layla. Not permanently, anyway.”

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