“I’m not going to let that happen.” It’s true, he really does want me, and I have a feeling this is one of those situations he’s giving me that I can actually succeed at. Even if the prize at the end is my death.
Claire’s best friend will not die because of me.
“You can’t go.” Claire tugs on my arm in an attempt to pull my attention to her.
Defeat crashes over me. I’ve always found a way to slip out of Franklin’s grasp just in the nick of time. There has always been some kind of escape route in place. But now, I can think of none. I’ll be walking right into his palm, with no means of a way out. For once, he finally outsmarted me and put me in a complete checkmate.
All that’s left is finding the courage to say goodbye.
Slowly, I tilt my head toward her. My heart aching at the pain I’ve put her through since the moment I stepped into her life. I bumped into her that fateful night, knocking her down, and all I’ve done since is continue to ruin everything. I was a coward for not having the strength to stay away from her then. I was selfish and idiotic for thinking I could ever be the type of man that Claire deserves. We may have formed something beautiful and rare together, but at what cost?
I cannot allow my angel to fall.
“Don’t look at me like that.” Claire’s bottom lip quivers.
“Like what?”
“Like you’re about to say goodbye.”
Luciano finally steps forward, metaphorically and literally putting his foot down. “No one, and I repeatno one, is saying goodbye.”
“Yeah, what he said.” Josey comes into the room, his muscles nearly bulging out of his T-shirt.
“There’s no way around it,” I tell them. “I’ve run countless scenarios through my head. The only way I can save Rosie is to give him what he wants. And once I’m there, there’s no turning back. He won’t let me escape for a second time.”
“You stopped me from coming into view for a reason.” Luciano stares at me intensely. “He doesn’t know we’re working together. He’d never see it coming.”
“How does that help me, though? He said for us to come alone. I wouldn’t put it past him to follow through with his threat if we do a damn thing to make him suspicious. I won’t let Rosie get hurt.”
“Wait, who’s Rosie?” Josey rubs his chin.
Claire's phone goes off in my hand, the details Franklin promised beaming across the screen.
The wheels in Luciano’s brain seem to start turning as a plan formulates in his head. “I have an idea.”