Page 34 of Bullets and Blood
Because that had worked out so well last time.
ChapterTwenty-One
Lance drovehim to work and picked him up.He knew he should quit, but he couldn’t bring himself to collapse the life he’d built.Not yet.Maybe Lance was right, and they should continue as though nothing were wrong until the twenty-four-hour mark.The Orlans thought he’d packed up and vanished into the bush; maybe he could stay right where he was.Maybe they’d get bored and leave Lance and him alone.
“If Zinnia were here, would you…” Nix couldn’t say it.To get blooded by another family was a big deal.
Lance took his eyes off the road for a second.“I’ve been thinking the same thing.You’re not going to get old for a long time.You won’t want me when I’m forty and going grey.”
Nix’s lips twitched.That didn’t bother him.“You’d no longer be an Orlan if she did.”
His knuckles whitened.“I’d be a Hadley by blood.The enemy.I should be able to say yes.But the Orlans are my family.”
“It’s okay.I’m just thinking of ways out of this.”That was the only one he had where one of them didn’t die, at least not immediately.He had no doubt they’d be hunted, and three people on the run would be that much harder to hide than one.
“You’re always thinking.I can see why I failed to catch up with you sooner.”
Nix smiled, but they fell into silence.Lance turned down a small road instead of heading to his place.“Why are we going this way?”
“I made an appointment with the real estate agent.”
“Why?”
“So that we could look around it during daylight instead of like a couple of thieves.”
“But there’s no point.”Tick.Tick.Tick.But in his head, all he heard was Lance’s groans as he came, and all he saw was the way he’d looked at him this morning as though he Nix Hadley was the only one Lance Orlan wanted to wake with.He was damn sure he didn’t fuck that well.
“We have six days to live a life and do everything.”
“It’s not possible.”
Lance slapped the steering wheel.“I know.I just… Just shut up and say thank you.”
Nix stared out the window.A lump had formed in his throat, and he couldn’t get the words out.Why was Lance doing this?Being nice.Falling for him.Making it impossible to not fall for him.Damn him.
He couldn’t look at Lance.It hurt too much.
Lance put his hand lightly on Nix’s leg as though expecting to be brushed away.“We’re a happy couple looking to spend some family money.”
Nix shook his head.“Well, a third of that is true.”
“Which third?”
“Whichever you want.”Nix shrugged.“But I have no money, your aunt won’t let you buy it, and neither of us looks happy.”
“Your tongue is as sharp as your teeth.”
“Thank you.”Nix glanced at him and smiled.“For the compliment and for doing this.”
* * *
The gate was already open,so Lance turned up the driveway and pulled into the small carpark out the front of the house.The gravel driveway was sprouting weeds, and the garden beds were overrun.He was beginning to think this wasn’t a good idea.The winery might have looked okay in moonlight, but by daylight, it was a mess.
However, Nix was truly smiling.Not the forced one he so often wore that tightened the corners of his lips and didn’t reach his eyes, but one that took away the edges.
Nix had dropped his shield and lowered the point of his sword—for a few minutes, anyway.
Lance got out of the car and breathed in, glancing up at the dappled sunlight coming through the gum trees.“Do you need your cap?”
