Page 80 of By Blade, I Love
My eyes flicked back and forth between him and Wolfe, hoping that Wolfe somehow had a trick up his sleeve, that Cosa Nostra was just down the street behind him and a big shootout was about to take place.
“Was that in your projected forecast, Wolfe?” Icarus asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Wolfe somehow kept his calm even though he must have been completely wrecked inside. “There has to be something you want.”
“Well, there’s one thing I can do for you,” he said. “A trade.”
I immediately felt sick. Fucking sick.
Wolfe didn’t react.
Icarus turned to the grave and then looked at Wolfe again. “That’s the best I can offer you.”
Wolfe worked his jaw as he stared at him.
Please have some kind of plan.
After a long stretch of silence, Wolfe spoke. “How will I know if you really let her go?”
No.
“Because you know I’m a man of my word. She can get in your Range Rover and take off. Free as a bird.”
I finally spoke. “Wolfe, no?—”
“Francesca.” He didn’t look at me or raise his voice, but he told me to shut my mouth. “You let her go, and I’ll comply.”
“Absolutely not?—”
“Francesca.” This time, he looked at me, and I saw no love there at all.
I was actually scared of him, my own husband.
He looked at Icarus again.
“No can do,” he said. “Because she’s going to watch me bury you alive.” Then he smiled—like this had been his plan all along. “Remember what I said to you when we sat on those cheap-ass chairs? That I didn’t want you to be my next haunt, but you will be.”
Wolfe didn’t react to that at all. Didn’t show fear, any ounce of emotion whatsoever.
“We’ve got a deal?”
“I need to know you’ll let her go.”
This can’t be happening.
“Wolfe, do I need to spell it out for you?” He cocked his head to the side. “I was never going to put her in the ground. This was all a trap so I could putyouin the ground. So, are we doing this or not?”
“Yes,” Wolfe answered immediately.
“No.”
Icarus clapped his hands once. “Alright. Let’s get to it, boys.”
The guys grabbed tools, like a power drill and screws, and they flipped the lid open so Wolfe could get inside.
“Wolfe!” I screamed. “No.”
He moved toward me and lowered his voice. “I have seven hours?—”
