Page 69 of Arranged Scars
“Holy shit, you scared me.”
“Good.” He blows out smoke. “Come on.”
“Wait, where are you going?”
But he’s already walking back the way I came. I curse to myself, but what else can I do? I have no idea where I am or why we’re out here. I’m forced to follow him down the block, hurrying to catch up.
“That thing stinks,” I comment as he keeps smoking his cigarillo.
“Bad habit,” he admits, glancing at me sidelong. “Keep moving. Don’t look back.”
“What are we doing here, Liam?”
“I know what I’m doing here, but I have no clue why you thought staking me out was a good idea.”
I nearly trip over my own feet. “You knew I was watching?”
“The whole time. I got a particular bit of pleasure when you were forced to take a piss?—”
“You saw that?!”
“Not up close, relax. Finn would cut my throat.” He chuckles and takes a puff.
I take a second to compose myself. I’m mortified, but I can’t let that derail me. “What are we doing here though? You brought me out this way for a reason, didn’t you?”
He shrugs, his enigmatic smile lit up by the glow from his cigarillo. “I thought I’d reward you for your patience.”
“By getting me mugged and murdered?”
“Nah, don’t worry, it’s not that bad.” He frowns slightly. “They’d probably just murder you and skip the mugging.”
“Liam.”
He slows his pace once we’re a couple blocks away from where I parked my car. “Those houses back there aren’t as bad as they look from the outside. From what I’ve heard, the interiors are actually pretty nice. Rumors say a bunch of high rollers like to gather in there for big poker games.”
My heart skips a beat. “High rollers like my brother?”
“Could be.” He drops the end of his cigarillo and stomps it out. “I’m quitting. Seriously, that’s the last one.”
“Why are you showing me this on purpose? You have to know Finn doesn’t want me here.”
Liam’s smile gets bigger as a car door opens nearby.
I nearly scream when Finn climbs out.
He stands on the curb staring at me in black jeans and a black shirt. My husband looks like a beautiful, pissed-off, vengeful god. My pulse rockets erratically, and for the first time, I’m genuinely afraid. I’ve never gone out of my way to disobey him like this before, and I know I’ve crossed a line.
“Sorry, but now you know where my loyalties lie, at least,” Liam mutters and starts to walk away.
“Where are you going?” I stare at him in a panic. “You could at least witness my murder.”
He laughs and Finn only sighs.
“My wife’s so dramatic.” He comes to me slowly, a considering look on his face. His hands are shoved into his pockets. “I’ll give you this. You really are determined.”
“I don’t know when to quit.” I glare at him, doing my best to mask my fear with false bravado. It’s probably just making me look even more scared.
“That’s very true.” He stops a few feet away. “This is the first and last time you do something stupid. Do you understand me, Caroline?”
