Sleeping with women, sure. I know that. It's simple. Doesn't have to be complicated.
Whatever the hell is between me and Summer is complicated as hell. It always has been, and I don't think it's ever going to get easier.
But I want that.
Aiden clears his throat. "And what about New York? I'm not going to spend the rest of my life watching you kill my people forthe sake of revenge and getting more territory. Both of us can't stay in New York."
"I need time to work through that."
He shakes his head, glancing to where I'm sure he has the gun under the desk. "No. I'm not going to sit around looking like an idiot because you stayed in the city. It sends the wrong message, and after all the blood spilled between us, I'm not going to have you here."
"You were going to offer a truce at one point."
"And you threw that back in my face." Aiden's tone is low and dangerous, a reminder that I'm the one at a disadvantage right now. "If you want something from me now, you're going to play by my rules."
"What do you want, then?"
He smirks, leaning forward a little more. "You want your chance at my sister, and if there's anything I know about my sisters, it's that my opinion doesn't mean shit to them. So fine, if Summer wants to be with the likes of you, then I don't give a fuck."
"Feels like there's a but coming." I'm losing my patience. He's fucking with me because he knows he can right now.
Aiden chuckles, his eyes locking on mine, a cold look making the hair on the back of my neck stand. "But you're going to get the fuck out of my city. I hear some of your people are already retreating to Chicago. Can't tell you that's going to be far enough, but it's a fucking start."
I snort a laugh, shaking my head. "You want me in Chicago, then? That's not going to happen. I'm not going that far away from her. Vermont."
He leans back in his chair, looking entirely relaxed, that smug fucking smile permanently etched onto his face. "Chicago. I don't want you in Vermont."
"No, instead you want me to go marching into someone else's territory." I grit my teeth, running through the scenarios in my head.
I could arrive in Chicago and be killed the second I step off the plane. Someone could hunt me down and kill me.
But it would mean I have a chance at getting Summer back. I want her more than I want this life. I didn't realize how quiet the past week was going to be without her around.
Aiden knows it too. The bastard is going to force me to do whatever he wants, and I don't have another choice. "You want out of the life if you're going to be with her. You can't be in it while she's a lawyer, which means you shouldn't have any problems out there."
"You're not that naïve."
"No, but if you want me to end this right now, you're going to agree to move to Chicago within the week."
It's a horrible deal. One where I have to start my life over in a city I don't know, with people who know of me and might still want to kill me even if I am retired from all the shit.
But in the end, I get a chance at convincing Summer that I'm not a shithead—that I want to be with her and I'm willing to sacrifice.
I sit up a little taller. "This is going to make us look like shit to the rest of the city and the people we both do business with."
"Which is why you're going to fake your death." Aiden leans down and reaches into a drawer, pulling out an entirely new identity. He slides the documents over to me, and I have to admit, I'm impressed.
My face is staring up at me, a new name, date of birth, and address waiting for me. There's a social security number, passport, and anything else I could need to start a new life.
I take the documents, putting them into a little pile. I should be asking him when he got these made—probably when he first wanted to approach me about a deal a long time ago. His plan was always to make me go away, and there's a part of me that admires him for it.
I clear my throat. "How do you want to do this?"
"You're going to agree with it, then?" The smug smile only gets bigger.
"I don't have much of a choice. You get to tell everyone you finally killed me, and I get a chance to live my fucking life."
"Then I guess we have an agreement."