“I should get going,” I say, curious about Dina and Declan now. Those rumors of his engagement weren’t true. People talk a lot of shit.
“Before you head out, I want to ask you something.” She lifts her hand and shows me a massive diamond on a thin golden ring.
“No way! That thing is gorgeous.” I hug her. “Congratulations. They said the Crossbows were throwing a party for an engagement.Yougot engaged. It was you the whole time. Why didn’t you tell me?” Why didn’t she invite me? Maybe we’re not as good friends as I think we are. Bummer.
Dina senses the shift in my mood.
Declan explains, “She forgot I told her I’m coming back in one year.”
“No, no, no. That is not what happened. He… Well, it’s a long story best told over champagne and cake between best friends.”
“Who is the best friend?”
“You are, silly.” Dina hugs me. She gives the best hugs. Did I mention that already? And also, I’ve never been someone’s best friend. I had friends who had friends who were their best friends. I was always the spare.
Declan pours a glass of orange juice. “When I came to pick her up last night for our engagement party, she thought I returned to get engaged to another woman. I would never live here if it weren’t for my fiancée.” He sips the juice. “You like it here?”
I nod.
“Where are you from?” he asks.
I’ve told this story several times, but Declan and Connor who is feeding Hanna and pretending not to listen aren’t ordinary men. I have a feeling they’ll look into the story. It’s a good thing my contacts created a believable personal file for this very purpose. I will come away clean and validated.
“I’m from Sapaina,” I say. “I moved here as a travel nurse at first, but I love this city, so I’m starting over here.”
Connor purses his lips.
Declan glances at him.
Because of my profession, I’m used to reading social cues, but this isn’t the same as reading patients and their families. These are dangerous men who have killed for far less than a lie. They must believe my story because I have nowhere else to go, and disappearing now with a baby and a few hundred bucks won’t work.
My exit plan was compromised when I paid my landlord three months’ inflated rent. At the time, I cursed him for the bait and switch when I handed him my savings for the exit in case I needed it, but now I’m glad I did.
Imagine if I lived at Dina’s with Connor Crossbow now. He’s the last thing I need and yet I’m stuck with him for the next hour. And then some. When he said we were done, it sounded great, but in practice, I’ll see him again.
My best friend, the only person who helps me out, will be a Crossbow soon. I need to think about what that means for me. Just not right now. I can’t deal with that now, or I’ll crack the persona I need to be and turn into a slobbering mess begging for my life because I lied to them.
To make matters worse, at some point during the shooting at the hospital, I think I might’ve told Dina that Ekatia isn’t my real name. My PTSD kicked in and I can’t recall the hospitalshootout, but I’m almost sure I told her something. Dina has never mentioned it, so maybe I’m just being paranoid.
Needless to say, I worry about Declan and Dina’s relationship having a direct effect on my life. Why did the Crossbows have to come back?
I wince at the thought.
I should be happy for her. And I am. But I’m stuck not knowing what to do. I guess I could stop hanging out with her. But we are best friends. Does that make me a bad person? What do I do?
“I would like you to be my maid of honor,” Dina says.
OH MY GOD.
Chapter 3
Renne
Inever look for trouble, but it finds me nevertheless. How else do you explain being a nurse to a crime lord and the crime lord’s future wife, and now being asked to be maid of honor in a wedding that will surely be attended by crime families? I don’t think my nerves will survive this.
This city was supposed to be my safe haven. My witness protection case manager placed me here because Selnoa was run by the Crossbow crime lord, who didn’t like any other lords inside his city. He hated the one they hid me from, and he thought there was no way the other boss or his men would even come here.
But Massio Crossbow is dead now, and his sons have taken over. Like their father, they likely won’t allow other criminals to roam the city, but at least I didn’t know Massio. Now, my best friend is going to marry the king of Selnoa’s criminal underworld.