“The plan?” Logan marks a very long pause, and then says, “The plan is to get another fucking plane. Pass me my phone. It’s up front.”
I don’t want to look, but I just can’t keep from peeking first at Damien, who’s never looked more shocked, then at the phone that he passes to Logan. The latter has that neutral, frightening expression he wore on his phone calls with Dario and Carmelo. The one that always precedes him completely losing his shit withme.
I twist toward the car seat, the sharp plastic and metal edges cutting into my skin as I try to create distance between us.
He doesn’t even glance at me, bringing up the phone to call Carmelo.
“Yeah?” he says, as soon as the latter picks up. “Damien is a fucking idiot, but I’ve still got your wife, and I still have every intention of bringing her to you. Uh huh. Right. Yeah. Really? Fuck, man.Damn. How the hell did that happen? Where? Yeah? Forget about it. I can go to Idaho. Want to get another plane? Uh huh? Right. Yeah. Well, before you do… okay, I’ve been thinking. I’m really not feeling Idaho, you know what I’m saying? Your dad is super focused on the Syndicate. And he’s got some spring cleaning to do. Gotta catch that rat. Mhm hmm. That’s what I was thinking. We can meet halfway. Okay. Text me the address.”
I’m so tense that every cell in my body is aching from the strain. He hasn’t changed his mind about bringing me to Carmelo. That’s not a surprise. At least, itshouldn’tbe. Wasn’t I just telling myself that if he learned what had happened to me, it would repulse him?
Why does it make my chest hurt that the man who’s spent the past few days threatening me with death is entirely unaffected to learn about my rape?
But it feels like something is breaking inside me.
When I look up again, my eyes cross Damien’s, and I realize that he feelsbadfor me. It really is a shitty life when the cruelest bully from my past actually pities me.
That thought is enough to jerk me out of my spiral. Aurora is still sleeping beside me, but I gingerly take one of her small hands in mine, and the touch of it calms me.
I need to get the fuck out of here. I need to… run.
The second this car stops, Aurora, we’re running.
_
“Guess we’re going on that road trip after all, huh?”
Damien’s voice cuts through my thoughts.
“Iam,” Logan says, gritting his teeth. “Not you.”
“Oh?” Damien raises an eyebrow.
“Three more guys are dead. Coltello just briefed Carmelo. This thing is turning into a fucking mob war. Carmelo tried to act brave, but I’m pretty sure he’s shitting his pants far more than the boss is. They have no idea who’s behind it all, but they’re thinking it’s a real insurrection. He got you another plane. He needs you back now.”
“So much for the vacation,” sighs Damien. “Coltello’s convinced it’s one guy, acting on his own.”
“Coltello doesn’t know shit. Anyway, whatever’s going on, the family needs to contain that shit fast. I’m not going to bring her to Idaho.” I shiver at the sound of that cold word:her. “I’ll meet him halfway.”
“Yeah?” Damien turns back toward us and studies Logan carefully. “You’re doing this for Carmelo, I guess? To help him out? Hmm?”
“Everyone’s putting a lot of pressure on him. But he’s not the type to let some other guy deal with a girl who’s wronged him.”
“Uh huh.”
“So Iamhelping him out. Bringing her to him, but being discreet, so there’s no friction with the others. They don’t want him to be focusing on her when there’s a fucking war about to break out.”
“Mhm hmm. So that’s why you’re doing it. How noble of you.”
Logan’s jaw clenches. I can tell their interaction is dripping with subtext, but I’m at a loss to decode it. “Yeah, Damien, that’s why I’m doing it,” he lashes out. “And itisnoble.”
“Okay, okay.” Damien puts his feet up on the dashboard. “So that means you’re driving back by yourself?”
“No. I’m keeping Everest.”
Everest slams down on his brakes, sending me hurtling forward. “Why the fuck do I need to stay? I’mnothelping you bring back your girl to a fucking rapist. Count me the fuck out.”
“She’s not my girl,” hisses Logan, choosing to object to that word, and ignoring the rest. Which causes my chest to tighten, even though it’s stupid. He’s already made it clear how little he cares. And I’ve already decided I’m running.