Page 70 of One Way Out

“Shaw and I live in Vermont. We’ve got a two-bedroom apartment, but we’re going to have to start searching for a house.” He smiles. “Which reminds me. I know you and Valor lived in London. I assume you planned to end up back there at some point?”

“Yeah.”

“Right,” he whispers, studying my face. “So I imagine, much like mine and Shaw’s apartment, it’s got a lot of shit you wouldn’t want to leave behind. My family pack is still alive, so they still have my baby books and high school yearbooks, but I’m guessing the two of you have mementos you’ll need retrieved?”

“Not really.” I shrug. “I don’t have anything from my childhood. My dad kicked me out when I was sixteen. I haven’t seen him since, even though he’s always been just across the city.” Leo grimaces at my words, but I don’t need his pity. I got dealt a shitty lot in life. It happens. I’d like to believe I’ve risen above all that, anyway. “Last I checked, there was a little less than three hundred thousand pounds in the safe in Valor’s closet. That would hurt to lose, but it’s blood money. Our flat is in the heart of Amato’s territory. By now, there’s a chance they know he’s dead. If not, the rest of his higher-ups will know within a day or two. It’ll be a bloodbath as they fight it out to see who gets to take over in his absence.”

Leo’s eyebrows rise. “That’s a significant amount of money.”

“It’s five years of savings,” I say, moving to study Saylor. Her long lashes rest on her cheeks, and she looks so peaceful that it makes my chest tight.

At the moment, Valor and I don’t have much to offer her. We worked our way up in Amato’s organization, starting as disposable muscle and ending at trusted enforcers.

Amato groomed Valor to take his place.

There’s no way we can show our faces in London to retrieve our belongings. Not without having to wipe out all of Amato’s underlings. They’ll be gunning for us to ensure we can’t make a claim on his empire. The money hurts because it would be something to contribute to prove we can pull our own weight, but I’m more concerned with what Valor will be leaving behind.

I keep my voice low and fill Leo in about Valor’s history. I keep things brief. It’s not my story to tell, but I mention how he was raised by his aunt and that she died when he was a teenager.

Saylor grunts, moving around in her sleep.

We both freeze.

After close to a minute, she begins to snore again.

“Basically, I’ll be fine,” I whisper. “Valor has a few things that will hurt to lose, but I know him well enough to understand he won’t go back for it. He’s got a ring from his aunt in the same safe we kept the money in. There are photo albums and keepsakes that I know are important to him…” I shrug. “Maybe, in a few months, we can check once the dust clears.”

Amato owns our building, so there was never any fear of being evicted while we were in the facility. Valor’s position as Amato’s number two ensures none of Amato’s other lackeys would dare steal our belongings. At least, not while Amato was alive. Once the world finds out about his death, the vultures will circle.

Leo’s hand lands on my shoulder while I’m still focused on Saylor. He gives me a reassuring squeeze, and I fight the urge to shake out of his grip. The one thing I hate more than anything is being pitied.

Valor and I might have started as street rats, but we clawed our way up to the top.

Only to be slammed right down to the bottom all over again.

We’re going to have to find employment and a way to contribute.

I fucking hate feeling helpless.

Leo sends something in the bond, and my eyes fly to his. “Like I was trying to say before you started spiraling all over again,” he says softly. “Come on, you and I need to make some phone calls while our omega sleeps.”

“Why?”

Leo smirks.

I’ve never seen that particular look on his face, but he looks quite pleased with himself.

“As it turns out, I have an old friend that owes me one for something that happened when we were down range.” Leo finally releases me and scoots away from Saylor’s back. “He does security for stupidly wealthy businessmen inLondon. If anyone is going to get your shit back, it has to be done now. Come on, let’s make a few calls and see if we can make it happen.”

My bloody chest gets tight.

Is this what having a family feels like?

It’s a nice change of pace to have someone outside of Valor to count on.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Saylor

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