Page 95 of Hold On

“But you and he are fucking bait! If this guy and his people come, they’ll hurt Ren too.”

Dominic felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, as though he was being pressed into the ground, trodden into the dirt.

“He’s been hurt,” Will hissed. “Do you have any idea what he’s been through? He nearly died. If you care for him at all, you’ll leave him alone.”

The pain in Dominic’s chest was so intense, he thought he might cry out.

“The longer you let this continue, the more hurt he’ll be. I beg you, end it now.”

Dominic didn’t want to wreck Ren’s relationship with his brother. He didn’t want to let go of Ren, but…

“Call him at six,” Dominic said quietly. “Ask him to come and see you. Keep him with you for thirty minutes. I’ll have gone by the time he comes back.”

“Thank—”

“Don’t,” Dominic snapped and walked away.

He had fifty metres to pull himself together. Was Will right? The only way Dominic could protect Ren was by leaving him?God, it hurts. And Ren’s going to be hurt either way.

Ren pulled him aside when he got back to where they were digging. “What did Will say?”

“He’s just worried about you. Reminding me to be careful. It’s fine.” Dominic forced a smile onto his face.

“I’ve had enough. Let’s go and shower. I’ve booked something for us to do this afternoon.”

One last thing, Dominic thought.Let me have that.

His one last thing was a visit to an IMAX theatre.

“We’ll take the helmets in with us,” Ren said. “I just need to speak to the guys in that BMW.”

He nodded towards a silver car in the next row of the cinema parking.

“Why?”

“You didn’t see them following us?”

A lump formed in Dominic’s throat. “No.”

“They were good but I’m better.”

“Are you sure they’re on our side?”

“Yes.”

Dominic followed Ren to the car. The window slid down.

“We’ll be inside until 4.30. You could watch too or wait here.”

“How did you know?” the driver asked.

“I recognise you. Someone in this car followed us to the aerodrome. I’ve seenyoutalking to the marquess and your mate watching us at the dig.”

The guy chuckled. “Fair enough.” The window went up again.

Dominic walked into the building with Ren. “What are we going to see?”

“A nature thing, some of which is in 3D, then a sci-fi film.”

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