Lion grunts and moves out of the way, signaling for us to enter the penthouse. We don’t make it far before he’s zoned in on me again. Liam walks to look out the window while Lion and I argue.
“You’re supposed to be in hiding—” Lion grinds out.
I scoff. “First of all, I don’t run and fucking hide, you big bastard. Second, I always have your back, it doesn’t just apply to me. This isn’t a one-way street.”
He rubs a hand down his face then through his disheveled hair. He’s beyond stressed, and he can fight me all he wants to.
Lion needs me.
He shakes his head. “Do you have any idea what you’re risking by being here?”
I laugh at that, and it twists the knife in my back. “No!” I yell. “Because no one will tell me a goddamn thing. Accept that we’re here because I’m not leaving.”
Lion levels me with a glare. “Malia—"
Stubborn bastard. “No, Lion, I’m helping. Deal with it.”
Lion sighs, conceding his argument, then looks over at Liam who watches us with amusement. Lion turns to me like he just noticed Liam was here. “You brought your fucking puppy with you?” he bites out.
Liam scoffs and Lion glares at him.
I yank on Lion’s arm turning him around from Liam before all of Lion’s aggression is taken out on him. “You’re so concerned with me being here, at least I didn’t come alone. What happened to Akila?”
Flipping the subject seems to ease the tension. Lion might be fighting me now about being here, but he can’t hide the relief I see in his eyes.
“Akila’s ex attacked her, and we can’t seem to get a location on him,” he says with a sigh. “Malia, you shouldn’t be here.”
I groan as he backtracks. “My whole world could be on fire, Lion, and I would still be by your side.” Lion knows he’s not going to win this argument with me. We’re both stubborn as hell and we’re not going to get anything done by continuously arguing. “We have a pact and Akila means something to you, so I’m here. Use me because I’m not leaving.”
Lion mutters curses under his breath then runs his hand through his hair again. “Fine, alright. I need to call Uncle Nate and tell him you’re here.”
That pisses me off. “Wouldn’t want to keep any more secrets. You know everything don’t you?”
He looks at me with softness and it’s what I figured. Lion wouldn’t outright lie to me and tell me he didn’t know what was going on, however, he’d keep my dad’s secrets if it was asked of him. Honor is a fucked-up thing.
“Malia,” Lion starts then closes his mouth looking all kinds of fucked off and frustrated at the same time. “Fuck. I can’t tell you what’s going on with you, your papa, and Fido over there. I need you to understand that I’m not lying to you because I want to.”
I just hum.
“Don’t start your shit,” he warns, rubbing the tension in his eyes.
“I didn’t come here to fight with you, I came to help. Once we flay the skin off the fucker that did this we can squash whatever issues we are having. Doesn’t matter how pissed I am at you, Lion. I will always come through.” Then I smile and Lion’s face falls. “Even if I want to punch you in your beautiful face,” I say batting my eyelashes.
Something relaxes in him, and he gives me a slight smirk “I know,” he says.
I shrug, walking toward a chair to sit then cross my legs to get comfortable. “So, what do we know?”
All relaxation burns away as the fire returns to Lion’s eyes. “Not a lot,” he growls. “Jacob Coleman took her, he’s her ex. Practically a ghost.” He shakes his head. “Mal, I don’t want Akila to know we’re looking for him. I don’t want that fucker to cross her mind ever again. So, put your guard dog on a chain and we can get to work.”
Fuck me, these two are going to kill each other.
“And me? Please tell me I get torture duty.” I’m practically jumping out of my seat from excitement.
Lion smirks. “Torture for you maybe.”
I narrow my eyes and glare at him knowing exactly where this is going. “I don’t do girl talk, Big Rig.”
The big bastard shrugs all smug and shit. “Can’t risk you doing too much, I’m sorry. You’re in hiding and you’ll stay that way even here. I won’t risk neither you nor Akila.”