But we can’t find the getaway car for my cousin’s hit.
Joey is the best man I know at finding things, so he’ll come through. But the waiting is killing me.
Every place we’ve hit has been empty. We’re always too late. And it’s getting really fucking old.
I run my hand over my hair.
I need Valentine to rub my head again.
I need Valentine to look at me with a smile again.
My fingers tap against my side, and then I pull my phone out of my pocket.
Me: You didn’t eat enough yesterday. Groceries were delivered this morning, but order something for lunch. I’ll be home in a couple hours.
I hit send, then wait to see if she replies.
She doesn’t.
I deserve that.
My phone starts ringing.
I stupidly expect to see My Valentine on the screen.
It’s not her. But I still smile because it’s her big brother.
I let it ring while I walk across the mostly empty warehouse, away from Joey, to give myself some privacy.
“Hello, King.”
“Dom.”
It sounds like it’s killing him to be civil. And it makes my smile even bigger.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I lean against the wall.
“Cut the shit. You took my sister because you need something. Now what is it?”
I click my tongue. “Now, now. I didn’t take anything.” Mostly true.
“Bullshit,” he snaps. “There’s something else fucking going on, and I want to know what it is.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, brother.” I keep my tone annoyingly casual. “But you’re welcome to ask Val.”
“She’s not answering my calls.”
“And what does that tell you?” I taunt him.
King sighs. “Just tell me what you need. And if we can help you, then we’ll help you. And then you’ll send Val back home.”
My humor vanishes. “You’ll help because it’s what you’re honor bound to do. And Val will stay right where she is.”
“You’re not keeping her against her will.”
I scoff. “That’s fucking rich, coming from you.”
“You tricked her!” King shouts through the phone.
The barb hits.
Though I don’t think he really understands how. How badly I tricked her. How I set a trap made specifically for her. How I planned it all and kept her in the dark.
“I did what I had to.” I end the call.
I did what I had to.
CHAPTER 33
Val
Big Guy: You didn’t eat enough yesterday. Groceries were delivered this morning, but order something for lunch. I’ll be home in a couple hours.
Big Guy.
I read Dominic’s text. And burst into tears.
This is the first time he’s messaged me since he picked me up from that hotel in Vegas. And his name, or not name, in my phone is the perfect reminder of how he targeted me. The perfect reminder that it was all just some plan to get The Alliance in his pocket.
My heart doesn’t care about his reasons. Because reasons don’t make the betrayal any less painful.
I don’t reply to his text. I suddenly have no appetite. But I do go into his contact and delete the name.
I stare at my phone for a long time. There are lots of options, lots of insults I could use. But I end up simply typing in Dom.
CHAPTER 34
Dom
With no sign of Val, I set the takeout bags on the kitchen island.
Heading to the stairs, I can see that all the doors on the lower level are open.
So she finally decided to tour the place.
There’s not much to find.
The lower level has a large gym, a cigar room, two guest rooms, two bathrooms, and my office.
I head up the stairs, where, aside from the master suite, there’s another office, a guest bedroom, laundry, and a full bathroom.
Again, all the doors are open, and noise is coming from the spare bedroom.
After crossing the distance, I stop in the doorway.
There’s a dresser along the wall, and she has all the drawers open.
“Can I help you find something?” I lean against the doorjamb.
Valentine spins around with a bra in hand.
“Is this your fuck room?” The anger in her question surprises me. And the question itself makes me want to laugh.
But I don’t let my features show any reaction. “Would that bother you?”
She throws the bra at me. “Yes.”
I jump out of the way, not letting the bra touch me before it falls to the floor.
“Why would that bother you?” I ask and resettle against the wall.