Whatever I do, I’m fucked.
My choices are feel everything and hope I’m strong enough to survive it.
Or throw up my shields, lock away my heart, and surrender my love.
Neither option is easy.
But when Milo pushes open the door, I know what I must do. I won’t let the devil win. Love wins. Enzo will win. Not by stealing me back, but by keeping this monster from stealing anyone else. I will be Milo’s last prisoner. And I will make sure he regrets taking me every fucking day.
1
Kai
All I should feel is pain as I pick up the phone. Instead, all I feel is peace.
I’m free.
Enzo set me free.
But he lied.
He is still trying to protect me. I’m sure Langston is watching me right now in the coffee shop I ducked inside. I order an iced coffee, and then I pull my cell phone from my pocket—the one Enzo gave me. One I’m sure is embedded with a tracking device. Enzo knows exactly where I am, which is why I’ll have to ditch the cell phone soon, but not until I make the call.
I dial the ten digits I memorized and then wait.
An intense rage rests in my gut, begging me to let it out. I want to yell, scream, and curse. The man who answers is the man who killed Zeke. I stare at the black scrunchie on my wrist as tears threaten in my eyes.
Why did Milo have to kill Zeke? Why? Why? Why?
Why did Zeke have to die?
Why didn’t I stop it?
Milo Wallace will pay for Zeke’s death. I will make sure of it. But for now, I have another mission. Ensuring Milo chooses me instead of Enzo.
“I’ve been waiting for your call,” Milo answers without a hello.
“Where do you want to meet to make the trade?” I ask.
“I think you owe me something first,” he says.
The tiny amount of coffee in my stomach swirls, threatening to come back up at the sound of his voice. If this is how my body reacts to his voice, how am I going to react when I see him in person? When he touches me? Hurts me?
“I don’t owe you anything,” I hiss into the phone.
“I almost died. Before I make any deal with you, you must apologize to me.”
“If you expect me to apologize, then you must really not want to do this deal with me. I’m hanging up now,” I threaten.
“Wait,” he growls hungrily into the phone. His voice is filled with want and desire.
And the coffee that was in my stomach burns its way back into my throat. I can’t do this. I need to hang up and find another way to save Enzo. To keep the Black empire safe from Milo. To keep our enemies from touching us.
I don’t speak; my throat is like lava. But I don’t hang up either. Milo knows I won’t. I’m too desperate to save Enzo. I’ll do anything he wants.
“I’ll text you the address. I’ll meet you in the VIP room,” he says.
“Time?”