Page 83 of Deeper

“Willy…” I see where he’s going here.

“Do your other lifestyle choices scare her away?”

“You don’t even know what you’re talking about, old man.”

He wouldn’t be singing the same tune if he knew what we did to that woman in the hotel today. If he knew Rylan wanted to be my wingwoman on my murder spree, he’d be on the phone with the authorities instead of trying to make a love connection.

“But she does. You shared your secrets with her, and she didn’t take off running. Am I right?”

“Something like that,” I admit begrudgingly. It seems he’s not going to stop until I give him something anyway.

“Instead, it looks like you’re the one running.”

Fuck yeah, I’m running, as far as I can get. “It’s more complicated than that.”

“Love always is.”

“Love…” I chuckle under my breath.

Love seems like the furthest thing from what Rylan and I share. Viciousness. Impurity. Vulgarity. Depravity. Those would be more accurate of the bond between my Little Bird and me.

“A promise is a promise, especially to an old man.”

“A connection like mine and hers is liable to be the destruction of the both of us.”

“Or the beginning of forever. Give love a chance, Callen. You promised.”

The guilt in his voice is heavy. He’s trying to use it against me.

“No one has ever held me accountable for a promise, Willy. I’m sorry, but I think I might have to let you down on this one.”

“You’ll be letting yourself down.”

“I’ll sleep on it. Good night, Willy.” I go inside and leave him outside my door.

That old man has no idea what he’s talking about.

Rylan and I together are like gasoline on a flame, and we’re likely to burn one another to the ground, taking down everything in our path with us.

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