Page 89 of When Sinners Fear
Chuckling lightly at the vision of them working together as a team, which they’ll need going forward, I pick up my coat and start heading for the door. I can’t even be bothered to find a quote to finish this miserable encounter off. I’m just on the sidewalk before I can find a clear head, and then there’s only one way my body’s turning.
Walking straight for my car, I barely acknowledge Kai or Shaw as they come out behind me.
“Abel needs you to meet him at Berretta’s,” Kai calls. “Now.” Not gonna happen.
I’ve got a plane to get to and a woman to see.
Still, I nod in response as I get in the car and power off towards the airfield. I shouldn’t be flying there, but the journey by car is too long and I haven’t got the time right now. The whole damn month has been taken up with starting the process in New York. I’ve been there twice already to get the lay of the land and understand what’s happening on his streets. He walked me around some of them, introducing me to some of his contacts that I’ll need. My back was up the entire time, and I was ready to fight for my life on every fucking corner turned. He might have helped me out of that cage, but he also put me in it.
Asshole chuckled the entire time, as if my underlying fear was amusing to him. It’s not a feeling I enjoyed one bit. And if we're going to do this – work with Logan fucking Cane – we need to do this right. Abel was right. With the size of Logan’s ground, we don't have enough manpower or generals on our side. I’m damn surprised more people aren’t dead with the way my head’s turning lately. Dante needs to get his ass back here soon, because I can’t keep myself in check and do the planning, despite Kai doing the grunt work. I’m volatile, becoming reckless, and far too busy being concerned about where Peyton is, what she’s doing and who might be following her.
Doesn’t take long for me to get to the airstrip, and by the time I’ve got my bag out of the trunk and I’m climbing the steps into the jet, I’ve sent her a text to let her know I’m on my way. I turn into the interior, damn ready to get this flight done so I can take some time with her again. Abel’s face looking at me when I get there isn’t welcome.
I look back at the door, considering escape rather than honesty.
“This jet shouldn’t be going anywhere, Knox,” he says. “And you’re supposed to be at Berretta’s meeting me.”
I stow my bag and pick up the bottle of whiskey he’s already got on the table, pouring myself a healthy shot. “Yeah well, good job I wasn’t. You’re not there.”
“Pointless being there when I knew you’d be here. Flight plan says LAX.” We stare at each other. From my perspective I knew this would probably come. He’s no fool, and he watches us like a hawk, but I was hoping for more time – more secrecy. “We don’t have any dealings that way other than Lexi's side. You’ve disappeared twice now without telling me a damn thing other than when you’ll be back. You gonna talk about it, or am I dragging it out of you?” I keep staring. I don’t have to tell him anything, and I could get straight out of this jet, disable the alarms on my car and phone again like I have the last few times, and drive.
He takes some of his drink and watches me closely as I try making up my mind what’s best for everyone. She’s five months gone now, still barely showing, and this was going to be our second trip somewhere to live a life she’s never had before me. Last time was at the beach – not Cuba. But somewhere equally nice. She stood in awe and smiled at the scene in front of her. And we lived every moment we were there on the sand together. This time it’s Europe for two weeks before she can’t fly anymore. Italy, Paris. And a quick stop in London for obvious reasons. Namely to track down a runaway piece of property. Not that Peyton knows any of that yet. It’s a surprise. I just wanted time to keep her and the baby way under the radar for a while longer, though. Looks like that’s blown.
Breaking his stare, I look out the window and sigh.
“You okay?” he asks.
I smile, thinking about her pretty ass. “Yeah. I’m good.” Real damn good. Or I would be if he wasn’t here delaying this flight.
“What then?”
I’m not ready to share this. Not just because of the threat, but because this was for me alone, for us. It was precious time and innocence in ways I don’t want to explain. Call it hope and sweetness for her in my world of obscurity. “You don’t tell anyone else, Abel. No one. Not even Lexi.” He frowns. My head shakes. “This is as serious as it can be. No one, you hear me?”
“Alright.” He shifts in his seat.
“I’m going to see Peyton.”
“The girl?”
“Yeah.”
“Right. Why all the secrecy for a fuck?”
“You clean your mouth out. That’s the woman I love.”
He smiles and leans back, like that satisfied at least some part of him. “Still not enough, Knox. You don’t need to keep a woman private from us. What’s going on?” I keep staring. It's not that I don't trust him. I do. I trust him with my life, her life even. He’ll kill anything that threatens me or her or our child, but damn, I earned this time we should have alone. She did, too. “Don't make this painful for yourself. I will find out.”
“She’s pregnant. Five months now.”
There’s barely any reaction to that. Just his steadfast face staring. Could be shock, which makes me chuckle and smile. That's one thing he wasn't ready for. I suppose some part of me is happy to get it out there in the air to someone who’ll love it as much as I already do. Another part fears what's coming next because now it's more real than it was.
“Everything’s good?” he eventually asks.
“Yeah. Everything’s real fucking good. It’s a boy.”
He stands and pulls me up with him, wrapping me up in a hug and slapping my back. “Well, fuck.” He laughs and pulls back, holding my shoulders. “That’s made my day a damn sight more interesting.” I nod with him, as he keeps smiling, and watch him walk towards the door. “You better get going. We’re drinking when you get back.”
“Abel?” He turns back. “No one. Not until I’m ready. That includes family. With everything happening with Logan, and the shit we already get involved in, I want them safe and out of all this. They’ll be a point coming when it’s the right time. That time isn’t now.”
