Page 7 of Stiletto Sins

Nodding, I smiled my thanks, reaching across to squeeze his hand. “Thank you, Milo. I know I’ve been a crappy friend, but I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

His lip curled up on one side, and he squeezed my hand. It hurt my heart a little to see him so unsure of things, especially when I was the cause.

Sighing, I sat back and pulled out a burner phone to check in on the situation back at the house. I knew I had only a small opportunity before they got Cohen or someone else techy on the job, and then I would lose my window, but for now, I would be selfish and peer into their world to see the mayhem I had caused. A part of me felt I deserved to witness the pain I’d inflicted on them.

Clicking on the camera icon, I cloaked my location and then selected the main room. I’d been busy hacking into the security system yesterday while everyone was swimming in the pool. The camera pulled up easily, and I found the room filled with a few people talking.

I hesitated, debating if I wanted to hear what they were saying or not. I might not like what I heard, and it wouldn’t be something I could un-hear from my friends once it was out there. But again, I was a glutton for punishment and felt I deserved whatever vitriol they wanted to throw at me.

“How far do you think she’s made it?” Sawyer asked, pacing back and forth.

“Maybe we should just let her do what she needs to?” Mateo offered.

“It could be dangerous. She’s doing her usual ‘I can fix it on my own’ thing, and that never ends well,” my brother said, sighing into his hands as he rubbed his face. “Why now?”

I’d been avoiding looking at Asa, but when he spoke up, I could no longer ignore the forlorn expression he wore or the dejected way his body melded into the sofa.

“Because whatever it is, it’s more important than us,” he said, throwing the letter I’d written onto the table and standing up. “I’m sorry Sis, but I can’t stay here. I’m going to stop by a few places I like to surf and spend some time on my own. You won’t be mad if I miss the rest of the vacation?”

My best friend stood, walking over to Asa, and wrapped her arms around her twin. Despite the fact they’d only known about each other for less than a year, they had already developed a tight bond.

“I’ll miss you, but I understand. Let me know when you make it somewhere, and make sure to keep me updated. I don’t want you to run off and do anything foolish because you’re heartbroken.”

He kissed her head, a tear falling down my face at the misery I was causing. This wasn’t helping, but I couldn’t find it in myself to turn it off now that I was watching.

Rhett stormed into the room, a phone in his hand. “I got a hold of your father, baby. Samson will have Cohen look into some possible leads and brief us back in Utah. We’ll find her, and then I’ll wring her neck for skipping out on us like this.”

He pulled his tiny girlfriend into his arms, and I realized I’d had enough; plus, I didn’t really need to see any mushy stuff between one of my good friends and my bestie. There were some lines I wanted to keep. I was already scarred enough from walking in on a naked scene between her and my brother that I could’ve lived my whole life without.

Closing out the app, I laid my head back, debating with myself again. “They’ll be okay. They’ll forgive you. You had to do this. It’s okay to pick yourself every once and a while.”

“Talking to yourself?” Milo asked, and I jumped, not realizing the door had opened.

“Oh, did you hear that?” My face flushed, and I unhooked my seatbelt to get out of the door he held open for me. He smirked, not answering, which was an answer in and of itself. He handed me my bag, and I pulled out a hoodie, pulling it over my head to hide my face, and we walked into the back entrance together, his frame blocking mine.

“I’ll get a few hours of sleep before hitting the road. The car I got for you will be dropped off in the morning, and I told the guy to drop it and the other items you asked for at the front desk and for them to slide the envelope under the door. You should have minimal contact here, helping to hide your presence as long as you need. I even have the room for a week if you change your mind.”

His hand was on the lower part of my back as we walked, and I tried not to focus on how nice his heat felt. “Thank you, Milo. Once again, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you.”

Milo dropped his hand, using the key card to open the door and pushing it open into a luxurious room. “In my life, friendship is something I value more than anything. But,” he paused, biting his lip as he debated, “maybe we could go to dinner sometime?”

He adjusted his glasses as I watched him, and I fought with myself. I knew how I wanted to answer, but I was back to whether I deserved it or not. Someone as reprehensible as me shouldn’t deserve such a nice guy like Milo to like her.

“I’m not sure I’m worth that much, but if it’s what you want, then I will.”

“You make yourself sound like the world’s worst criminal, Fin.” He rolled his eyes, moving further into the room. “Don’t forget who my family is.”

I nodded, setting my bag on the bed closest to the door. While I knew what he meant, considering his family was part of a secret organization bent on taking over the world, it wasn’t the same. At least, not in my eyes. I'd chosen to do the things I’d done; he just had the unfortunate luck to be born into the Council.

The Council was made up of seven families that used the Olympics and the young athletes training for them as their mules to import and export everything from drugs, weapons, and stolen artifacts, while also holding the market in every major industry. Despite the Council being taken down last winter, he still had connections. Milo’s family had been on the automotive side of things, which helped me out when I needed a car my family couldn’t trace.

While Milo was a Bellamy, he wasn’t part of their misdeeds, making him innocent, in my opinion. He’d even saved me from being auctioned off in one of their human trafficking rings. It was the first night we met and the night I realized I liked him as more than a friend. There was just that pesky detail about my boyfriend. And while my bestie Sawyer had found a way to have seven men adore her, I didn’t feel I was that lucky, or perhaps, worthy enough to be greedy.

Though, even as I thought that, I knew Sawyer wasn’t being greedy. She loved her men, and they loved her. It was just how it was.

But yet, the logic didn’t seem to fit me. I was too selfish, too undeserving, and too reckless to have more than I was allowed.

“Do you need the restroom?” I asked, fidgeting on the spot. Everything felt too much at the moment with us in this room alone.

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