Page 162 of To Have and to Stalk
The moment I lost her.
The only indication she was paying attention was a slight pinch in her brow as Butcher’s men lifted Graham up and hauled him out of the room.
“I’m so sorry, Shay,” I said. “So fucking sorry.”
Her eyes flickered to me, softening, and I felt like she was finally seeing me again.
Butcher’s hand landed on my shoulder. “All right, hero. Time to say goodbye to the damsel.”
For the first time in over an hour, Shay spoke. “Goodbye? Where are you going?”
Butcher spoke for me. “Your hero needs to pay a debt.”
Her brow furrowed, looking above my head, at Butcher. “Who are you?”
“The soon-to-be head of the Mafia,” he said.
“Shay, I—” I broke off as Shay stood up, pushing past me. A steely determination overcame her features.
“You’re the head?” Shay tilted her head, looking Butcher up and down.
No ounce of fear in her.
Butcher grinned in a way that made me want to step between them.
“In a few hours I will be,” he said, offering her his vicious white smile.
“Let him go,” she said.
“Not much you can offer to free him, little girl,” he said. But the way he arched a brow, tilting his head, let me know he was interested.
And that was not fucking good.
“Butcher—”
“How are you going to launder money?” Shay asked, interrupting me.
“That’s what this guy is for.” He slapped me on the shoulder again.
“That seems inefficient,” she said.
Butcher’s gaze sharpened, but before he could speak, Shay continued. “I recently learned my work is worth something to you guys. I’ll let you use my computer if you let him go?—”
I faced Shay. “Shay, don’t.”
“Hold on,” Butcher said. “Let her speak.”
“Shay,” I said, ignoring him, and grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look at me. “I have spent the better part of my life keeping my loved ones out of this. I will fucking die before I let you trade places with me.”
“I won’t take your place,” she said, gaze locked on mine. Intense. Searing.
Protective.
The only person who’d ever been protective of me was my older brother.Iwas the protector.
It stopped my words in my tracks.
Her gaze drifted back to Butcher. “I’ll give you access for one year. Enough time to move the operation off my fucking computer and somewhere else.”
