Page 89 of Twisted Hearts

“Do you want the shortest version possible?”

“I want the honest one.” She cupped her mug with both hands and took a sip. Her green eyes stayed focused on me, only closing briefly when that first hit of caffeine touched her tongue.

I waited until she was done. No sense in having her choke on hot liquid.

“Saul Mancusso—that guy who left your father’s house?”

“I will never forget that name. What about him?”

“He caught a flight to Raleigh on Thursday night.”

“What?”

“And MaryAnne and Daniel were both seen getting into an SUV this morning before the sun rose. They are believed to be headed this way.”

“What?” she repeated as all the color drained from her flesh and her hands shook so badly I took the mug from her before she dropped it.

She stepped away, pressing her hand to her chest as if she needed to settle down her breathing.

I didn’t let her get far. I moved toward her, cupped the back of her neck again, and held her firmly. “Listen to me, and listen closely. Jaxon is on this. He has men waiting for the SUV to hit Raleigh. He’ll have guys outside your building. We will get eyes on them once they hit town, and then we’ll handle it in a way that will make them understand you are not their concern anymore.”

Fire rolled off my skin. I would doanything, absolutely anything to get her feeling safe and free. There would be no hesitation on my part.

“As for us,” I continued, once I was able to push down the boiling rage, “you and I will stay here. Safe. Hopefully by tonight, Jaxon will have this done. My job is to keep you out of it.”

“No.” She shook her head, stepped back out of my hold, and started pacing.

“Addi—”

She shoved her hands through her hair as she moved. Turning to me, she shrugged her shoulders and flung out her hands. “I want to help. I get that it’s dangerous, but I also want it done. I’m tired of hiding.Pleaselet me help.”

Had she lost her mind?

“It’s notsafe, and I’ll be damned if I risk your safety for this.”

“It won’t work.” She stopped and stared me down, hands at her hips. “They’re looking forme, which means when they don’t find me, they’ll wait until they do. They have to know I’m with you. At minimum, they would have seen your clothes—a man’s clothes—in my apartment last night, andthatwill have set Daniel off. I’mhis, remember? Heboughtme…weren’t those your words?”

I reallyhatedwhere this train of thought was going, and we were getting off at the next station. “You are not using yourself asbait, Addi. No fucking way.”

“It’s the quickest way.”

“Did you not hear what I just said?”

Her arms crossed over her chest. My hands went to my hips. We both stood there, feet apart, but it felt like miles. My hands burned to pick her up and tie her to my bed like I had threatened, andnotfor the reasons that had made her skin flush with arousal.

She stared me down, lips pressed together, gaze and stance as stubborn as I knew mine were. I understood. Hell, I wanted this to be over with as much as she did, but this way? It wasn’t smart, and her notgettingthat made me want to make good on my threat and lock her up, chain her down.

Her chin shook and her body trembled. “I want this done, Shawn, and you and I both know it’s the quickest way. If they’re coming here, they’re coming forme. I need…” She paced again, and I hated the desperation in her voice, the frustration bubbling over in her. I’d do anything to keep her safe, anything but this. “I need…I need some control over this.” She faced me then, pleading as emotions tightened all her features. “I’ve been controlled my entire life. I’ve always done what was expected. I know it’s a risk. I know it puts me in danger, but don’t you understand that I need to have some sort of control in this too when it’s all been taken from me?”

I made a move to go to her, but she stepped back, throwing her hands into her hair.

“Do you know how scared I’ve been? For years! Years he’s had a hold on me. For years I’ve been scared to be alone with him, wondering if what I allowed him to do to me would stop being enough. You don’t get to make this decision for me, because it’s not you who’s been so damn afraid! I don’t justwantto do this—Ineedto!” As she screamed out the end, her voice so ragged and torn I was desperate to get her in my arms to comfort her, she pounded her fist to her chest. “I want to end this. I want to know that the man who made me so scared for so long is getting caught for whatever he wants to use me forby me.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and swiped away tears, but there were too many and they came too fast.

Fuck me.She was right. I hated it, but I got her ferocious need to be a part of this, to be part of gaining her own freedom.

“Can I come hold you?” I asked. It took effort to release the muscles bunching my arms, my shoulders, and my fists still on my hips, but for Addi, I did it, slowly holding my arms out.

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