Page 27 of A Love Most Fatal

“It’s. . . sensitive,” I say, and after a shocked silent moment, he pushes away from the wall, from me, like I’m a curse or a plague. “Nate, listen to me.”

He can hardly look at me, his lip curled up in a sneer as he recalibrates the night, the woman I was with the truth he knows now.

“You can’t call the police,” I start in a rush, my voice belying how out of control I feel. “There’s hardly an officer in this city that’s not in somebody’s pocket and if you call this in, youwillbe in danger.”

I don’t mention what I’m afraid of, that he’s already in danger. That there’s already a hit on him because he was seen with me by whoever it was that was out for my head tonight.

“You need to stay safe,” I say. “I can keep you safe, but only if you keep your head low. Don’t go poking into things you don’t want to be a part of.”

He wants nothing to do with me, I can see that clearly on his face, a cocktail of disgust and regret. But I need to know that he won’t do anything stupid.

“Nate,” I grab his wrist, and he pulls back from me.

“What, because you’ll kill me if I don’t?”

His words sit heavy in the space between us until I pull back my outstretched hand and set my shoulders.

“You’re safe,” I say. I put on my best face, the one that shows nothing, the mask that’s all too familiar for me, the one I haven’t had to show him before. He watches the change, his eyes narrowing as I compose myself. “So long as you aren’t an idiot.”

I’ve opened his front door and am halfway through when he calls my name. I don’t turn because he’ll see the hope on my face if I do, but I stop.

“Whatever shit you’re involved in, keep it the hell away from me.”

Leo stands just outside the door, and his eyes are soft and sympathetic when I meet his. No doubt he heard everything.

I turn over my shoulder and peer into the apartment for the last time. I allow myself one look at Nate, his eyes full of hate and confusion.

Was trying to figure out how to get you to like me, he’d said, not even an hour ago.

I swallow the lump in my throat and nod.

“Goodbye, Nate.”

I pull his front door shut behind me and walk past Leo without acknowledging his sympathy. He knows me too well, always seen right through me, like my sisters. It’s why he’s such a good bodyguard.

“Station someone here,” I say as we descend the old staircase. “No one touches him.”

When I got homefrom the date with my hair still a mess and my dress ruined, my family could tell enough that I didn’t want them asking any questions. I might guess that Leo called ahead to let them know not to pry.

The next day the search began in earnest. The two men that attacked us weren’t affiliated to any clan, just non-denominational hitmen for hire. We questioned their small organization first, then let Mary take to her more unsavory methods. If threats and a good beating don’t work, then Mary with a knife usually will, and this time was no different. Twenty minutes with Mary in charge and we learned that the two men were hired by an anonymous buyer who only communicated through burner phones, and paid in cash.

Another dead end.

We let the hitmen live, and they all looked at my little sister with a terrified sort of respect. She’s small, but fierce, I don’t blame them. They won’t be trying that again, no matter how much cash someone offers them to try to off me. For letting them live, they said they’ll even do some work for free, whenever we need.

Nate is safe, so my sources say. He leaves his house for school, then returns right after, only leaving to take that dog out, and even then, only small distances around the building.

I try not to think about him and the havoc I wreaked on his life.

Four days after the attack and with no discernable movement, I gather my sisters, Leo, and my mom in the living room for a family meeting. I look at the photo of my parents on the wall, looking for answers in my dad’s eyes, which are just like mine. They yield nothing.

Sean and Cillian show up ten minutes late, fresh off some bullshit of their own they had to deal with, and I don’t wait to dive right in.

“We need to go on lockdown,” I say.

They all blink at me while this settles in.

“A bit extreme, no?” Leo asks.