Page 46 of Ruthless Redemption

“It’s nonnegotiable, Layla. I’ll give you what you’re owed as long as you’re patient while I create a plan that ensures your protection.”

She lowers her gaze, remaining poised. “How much time are we talking about?”

A lifetime. Forever. I can’t imagine putting her in more danger.

What I’ve dragged her through already has been bad enough.

“A long fucking while,” Bishop cuts in. “Lorenzo is never going to give you permission.”

“Forget Lorenzo,” I mutter. “I’ll deal with the repercussions later.”

Her shoulders straighten.

In appreciation? Or merely shock?

“You’re going to defy him?” Bishop grates. “Don’t be fucking stupid.”

“He won’t find out. We’ll cover our tracks.”

“Fucking perfect.” He punctures a piece of lettuce, his gaze narrowed on the leafy green as if it’s the root of all evil. “Can you explain how we’re going to do that when we won’t be able to get back inside the Costa property? We’ve already burned that bridge. And with Emmanuel sick, he might never leave the house.”

“I’m sure he’d have doctors’ appointments in the city.” Layla shrugs. “Rehab at the very least.”

“But that’s an assumption we need to confirm.” Bishop grabs the lettuce from his fork and hikes it over his shoulder to the lawn below. “He may have arranged home visits. So recon is essential.”

She doesn’t respond. Instead, she takes dainty bites of chicken and salad, then a sip of wine.

The silence stretches. The awkwardness, too.

“How long?” This time her question is a faint murmur as her gaze meets mine, her suffering hitting me head on. “A few days? A week?”

What have I done to you? How do I fix this?

“Let me make some calls.” I’m well aware I’m on a tightrope. If I give her a timeline that’s too short, I’ll risk not winning her back. If it’s too long, she’ll see it as a deliberate delay. “I’ll get a team together. They can watch the house and give us an idea of what we’re working with.”

“Don’t you have someone who could hack their security feed?” She takes another sip of wine. “They could skim over the recordings of the last few days to see when people have entered or left the property. Decker has done stuff like that before.”

“Well, unfortunately I’m not Decker, and Langston is far from a tech guru.” Bishop punctures another piece of lettuce to hike it over the railing. “Since when have you been impatient to end your life?”

“I’m not.” Her eyes narrow, the fiery goddess flickering to life before being quickly snuffed when she lowers her gaze to her meal. “I’m just well awaresomeoneis trying to keep me here as long as possible, and it’s a waste of all our time. I won’t be staying once Emmanuel is dealt with.”

I pick at the chicken. Chew on a piece of carrot. Savor the wine.

Our rendezvous on the kitchen counter unsteadied her. But I’m unsure if it was in a bad way. Is she close to succumbing to me? Is her lack of fight the first sign of surrender?

She’s definitely shaken. Unsteady. But is she susceptible?

“What about Remy and Salvatore?” she asks after Bishop has thrown half his vegetables over the railing.

Foreboding skitters down my spine. “What about them?”

“They want me dead.”

“Emmanuelwants you dead,” Bishop corrects. “So we kill the king and the empire will crumple.”

“And what if we kill the king and his bastard sons want revenge?”

I keep my mouth shut, wondering if she’s heading down this path in an attempt to punish me.Spiteme.

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