Page 127 of Himbo Hitman
He’s about to step back inside when another question for him slips out.
“Before I got here … did Lars or St. Clare call you? And say … anything?”
“No.”
“Not even?—”
“Nothing. Even if they called me, I wouldn’t answer.”
This time when he heads inside, I let him go. So they didn’t try to trade me. Thatshouldmake me feel better, shouldn’t it? The sense of betrayal should be leaving me. Any minute. Atanypoint.
I scuff my sneakers against the dirty ground and lean back against the brick building.
I’ve finally gotten a lead.
Not a great lead, but it’s something.
If this guy is as bad as Yanni says he is, I need to get to St. Clare ASAP. We need to find Colin and take out the murder man and get everything back to normal.
Which would be a whole lot easier if I could trust St. Clare.What if he knows more than he’s told me? What if he knew exactly what his brother was up to the whole time? He wasadamantthat Colin didn’t do anything wrong, and I get wanting to protect your sibling, but … what am I talking about? I know St. Clare. Sort of. I know that he’s sweet and kind and loves his club and Lars and is lost without his brother. I know he has a big heart and is scared, and those aren’t easy things to fake.
But I don’t know a thing about Colin.
If I was able to learn so much about St. Clare in so short of a time, Colin would have known it too. He’d know his brother is a good guy who trusts him. Why would he have disappeared willingly if he knew someone as dangerous as Carson was after him? If I were in Colin’s position, I would have grabbed Margot and gotten as far from town as it’s possible to get. Disappearing and leaving her to it … never.
So what it comes down to is that either St. Clare is a liar and knows exactly what Colin is up to.
Or Colin made all these plans and ditched, leaving St. Clare to take the heat.
I’m not sure which option is worse.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
ST. CLARE
I sentLars off to bed since there was no way in hell I was getting to sleep. My ears are pricked for any little sound, nerves on edge as the darkness gets darker, and it’s still me here, alone, waiting for someone I probably should have given up waiting for.
What if he’s not here in the morning? Or lunchtime? My chest tightens, and I have to remind myself to breathe. It’s Perry. He can get through anything.
I’m determined to stick to my resolution of trusting him.
It hurts though. Every second of going through this is testing me, and I don’t want to be tested anymore. Thinking of Colin makes it hard to breathe, and now, being separated from Perry makes it hard to focus on literally anything else.
I have no appetite, no patience, and no desire to get my ass off this couch until he shows his damn face again. I need that face.
My knuckles are aching at how tightly I’ve balled my fists on my knees, and when a low hum reaches me, followed by a sweeping light over the cabin windows, I finally let go. My fingers are stiff, but it’s nothing like the tension in my shoulders as I ease up from the dusty couch and approach the window. Lars would probably slap me for not waking him, but there’s something about the sound of the engine—like it’s desperately clinging to life—that makes me sure I’m not in danger.
It’s hard to see outside with the buildup of grime on the glass and the light flooding the trees, but after a moment, the engine cuts off, the lights go out, and I can make out the distinct body of an old Nissan sedan.
The moon washes the person who climbs out with silvery shadows, but I know those broad shoulders. That messy hair. The way he bangs his forehead against the roof of the car a few times before stepping back, scrubbing his hand through his hair, and taking long, determined strides toward the front door.
This weird, heart-floating feeling of relief sweeps through me, and I hurry to meet him there. The second the door is open, I want to throw myself at him and make sure he’s real, but I keep my feet planted firmly.
He jumps at the sight of me before he breaks into his grin. “You’re awake.”
“Yeah.”I couldn’t sleep without knowing you were okay. “I told Lars I’d take first watch.”
He strides past me like I haven’t spent the entire day half-convinced he’s dead. “I’m starving. Didn’t want to stop somewhere with cameras. Tell me we have something here?”
