Page 10 of Fortress of the Cursed

“I can do that for you, if that’s what you want.”

She nods. “That would be good. Thank you, Fynn.”

I swallow hard as her eyes turn glassy. I just want to take all of her pain away.

“I’m here for you, whatever you want, okay?”

Her eyes meet mine again. “Just promise me that you won’t do anything stupid… to Cam.”

I squeeze her hand gently, reassuring her that I’m here. I will always fucking be here, no matter what.

I hold her gaze. “What’s your definition of stupid?”

She squeezes my hand right back, our fingers curled around each other’s. I never want to let her go. I want to protect her so nobody ever hurts her again.

“You know what I mean. I know Angelo is moving up in the ranks… your family situation… You’re mafia, Fynn.”

“It’s in my hands now, Sage. So you don’t need to worry about anything anymore.”

“I’m begging you. I can’t have that on my conscience, no matter what he’s done. He’s not a bad person when he’s not high, and I’m not defending him.” She holds up her hands, as if to prove it. It sure fucking feels like it to me. “Beat him up, threaten him, ship him off somewhere, for all I care… but I can’t have his death on my conscience.”

“It won’t be on yours, it’ll be on mine.”

She shakes her head. “No, Fynn. I can’t live with that.”

I let go of her hands and run mine through my hair. Annoyed.

“You know what it meant when you called me,” I remind her. “He can’t go unpunished.”

“And he won’t, but I’m training to be a doctor. I can’t live with myself if I knowingly helped kill a man.”

“He should have thought about that before he hurt you.”

“He was high…”

“Why the fuck would you want to defend this asshole, after what he’s done?”

I want to yell, throw things, and cut his fucking nuts off. But I know I have to keep my temper in check because that won’t help her right now.

It makes me wonder how long she’s been living like this, in a state of fear.

“I’m not defending him,” she says again, shaking her head. “But I didn’t call you to come get me so you could deal with him or the situation. I called you because I needed you and you’re the only one I trust.”

I let her words sink in.

It feels good to hear that she needs me, and it feels even better hearing I’m the only one she trusts.

She made the right call.

A tear rolls down her face as I bend to wipe it away gently with my thumb.

“I’m not angry at you,” I tell her softly. “None of this is your fault, Sage. I want you to remember that.”

“Okay,” she whispers, her voice so faint I barely hear her.

There is no way that Angelo will be handing anything to the police. We won’t put her through the humiliation of a trial. I will make him wish he was dead long before that ever happens.

Looking at her now, she looks so much younger. It takes me back to a time when we were happy, just a couple of kids who had no clue what they were doing. But it made perfect sense.

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