Page 96 of Revenge

“You are. And I don’t mean your detective work on ascertaining that I’ve had sex, I mean deflecting my questions about what the hell is going on with you and Nico.”

Anton then explained that he wasn’t sure what was happening between them. He said they had become closer over the last week but he felt like Nico was yanking his chain.

As I sat in the seat Nico had vacated and nibbled on a piece of cold toast, I pointed out unhelpfully that he couldn’t be trusted; him being part of the organisation.

Anton responded by saying I couldn’t trust Kai either.

After more back-and-forth talking about trust issues where Cartel men were concerned, we moved on to the future.

Anton was to stay with his mother for six months in London before returning to Milan. It was part of the rules set by Kai.

I helped Anton with his bags. Kai had arranged for his ID to be given back to him. My friend's face was now healed.

Once Anton was packed and ready to go, he messaged Nico to ask him to bring the car around.

“I’m sorry Kai’s keeping you on a leash for the next six months, Ant,” I said as we walked towards the bedroom door.

“What do you mean?” Anton said, lowering the two bin bags onto the floor. I dropped the bag I was carrying.

“I mean about Kai, not letting you leave the UK for a while.”

Understanding bled into his features, “Oh yeah. That. To be honest I’m relieved he suggested it. I wouldn’t leave my mom. Not until her fake passport is ready. Kai said it would take time to process it.”

What?

I hadn’t a clue what Anton was talking about. Did he want his mother to leave the UK and go back to Milan with him? And why afakepassport?

“What do you mean? Does Sheridan want to go back to Italy with you?”

“Well, she doesn’t want to but Kai thought it best under the circumstances.”

I was lost, “What are you on about?”

“I thought Kai had said you couldn’t leave the UK as he wants to keep an eye on you. See if he can trust you?”

“Trust me with what?”

“To check you don’t rat him out for what he did to you?”

Anton’s face was as perplexed as mine as I said, “OK, timeout. I think we’re talking at cross purposes here.”

“There is no talk of ratting anyone out. Kai knows the entire story now. How his father treated my mother and why I took my revenge. He said he didn’t blame me for that. An eye for an eye is a theme in his world he said. I’m staying in London until my mother gets her passport. Then we’rebothleaving the country. It’s not safe here. Kai explained that he may have a mole in his organisation. If my identity is leaked as being the one responsible for his father’s arrest I could be in danger. And so could my mother.”

“Really?” This was all news to me. In danger from who if Kai was letting him go?

And then his next wordsshockedme to my core, so much so that I almost threw up the dry piece of toast I’d eaten.

“Yes. Gerard may be unwell and lying low but hestillhas allies. Kai said he wants vengeance for his prison time.”

What the hell bullshit had Kai been feeding Anton?

Shaking my head, I took a step forward, craning my neck to see up into Anton’s clueless eyes, “Gerard can’t hurt you, Anton, he’s dead. Remember?”

Anton had been the one to show me the article that Gerard was six feet under and so why the hell did he now believe he was alive?

“No, you’re wrong Ava. That story was bullshit. Gerard was broken out of prison and his death was staged.”

My heart started beating so loudly that I was surprised the thud didn’t fill the room. My head felt twice its normal size.

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