Or would she see it as just another attempt at toying with her heart? A last-ditch effort to get on her good side?
No. The truth.
“Your brother is sending someone to come get you.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
I ground my teeth. “You are going home to your family today. Gather your things.”
Leda’s gaze narrowed. “This isn’t funny.”
“It’s not,” I agreed. “It’s the truth?”
My words sank in nearly immediately, and she made a move toward me. “Why?” she asked, pushing at my shoulder. “Why are you getting rid of me?”
Because this was the only way you’d be safe.
I grasped her hand as she went to push me again and her lips parted, the touch searing a path to my cock. Despite it all, she still could elicit a response like that, and I knew I affected her just as much.
She deserved to know as much as possible.
“Your father is out of prison,” I told her, loosening my grip on her hand and content to just hold it there against my chest so she could feel my rapid heartbeat. “He is under house arrest.”
“No,” she rasped, attempting to pull away. “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie about something like that?” I asked harshly.
“No, no, no.” Leda shook her head. “Don’t you see? It’s a trick, a ploy to get Nico out in the open! I can’t go. I won’t go!”
Surprised by her sudden outburst, I let her go. “You don’t get a choice. Your brother is sending a car to get you now!”
“Lucas, listen.” Leda drew in a few breaths. “My father is orchestrating this. He knew that Nico would react! This is the best way to draw him out in public.” She stepped away, wrapping her arms around her waist. “Nico’s the target, Lucas. You’re just the means to an end! They wanthisblood, and I can’t be the reason that happens. I can’t put my brother in that sort of danger. I won’t go.”
“You’ve been listening at your daddy’s door for too long, princess. You only hear the parts you want to hear. Not the entire picture.”
“Speak for yourself.” Her gaze narrowed. “I see the picture just fine. My father is after my brother; I can feel it.”
“You’re leaving,” I seethed, hating that she was making this harder than it should be. I had expected her to be happy about leaving me, yet here she was, putting up a fight. “That’s final.”
I wanted her to stay. My fucking traitorous heart wanted her to stay.
Leda’s eyes traced over my face. “And what are you going to do, Lucas? You are on the losing end of this, in case you didn’t remember. You need me. You need Nico. You need all the help you can get.”
“What I need, Leda,” I said softly. “Is to know that you’ll be safe!”
Leda let out a bitter laugh. “Safe? This is the most danger you could put me in! This is going to kill me, it’s going to kill Nico, and just to make it a little fucking worse, you’re also about to break my—” Her lips clamped shut, but I already knew what the next word would have been.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter,” she finished. “You are going to make me leave, aren’t you?”
“Car will be here soon,” I said flatly, curling my hand into a fist. “You have no choice.”
Leda turned away from me, her shoulders rigid. “I’ve never had a choice in my life. Why should I have one now?”
Fuck, she made me feel like I was two feet tall with that comment.
“Leda,” I forced out. But she held up her hand.
“You said your piece,” she sniffed. “Nothing I can do to change your mind, right?”