I closed my eyes and felt the pain worsen, felt our separation strangle me like a noose at the end of a rope. I didn’t make a sound as I stood there, opening my eyes and staring at the bright yellow petals that infused the hallway with sunshine. I knew she would throw them in the trash the second she spotted them. It wouldn’t make her reflect on our time together, the way we loved each other in a way that most people never got to experience. But I wanted her to know I still thought about her, that I was still here, that I still missed her…
That I still loved her.
I placed the flowers on her doorstep then pressed my palm against the door, just so I could be as close to her as possible. My forehead rested against the metal, and I stood there for a while, listening to the faint sound of the TV in the background.
I finally turned away.
Then I heard the TV turn off…and the sound of her footsteps.
Fuck, she’d heard me.
I rushed down the hallway, striding quickly without making noise. I rounded the corner just when I heard the locks turn.
There was a mirror on the wall that reflected the hallway leading to her door, so I could -watch her from my spot around the corner. She might be able to see me if she looked hard enough, but the mirror was at least twenty-five feet away, so it was unlikely.
Then I saw her.
I watched her open the door and stare down the hallway, as if she expected to see my back as I walked away. She was in her pink pajama shorts, wearing a black camisole, her hair pulled over one shoulder. There was no makeup on her face, nothing but her natural olive skin and full lips.
And she was so fucking beautiful.
So beautiful it hurt.
Coming here was a bad idea because it only made me feel worse, made me want her more.
She looked down and spotted the sunflowers. There was a slight flinch, like the sight of her favorite flowers did bring a subtle softness to her eyes because it was an involuntary reaction. She bent down and grabbed them, but she didn’t bring them close to her face to smell them.
She looked annoyed, dropping her hand so flowers were held by her side.
Then she walked back into her apartment.
I sat on the throne at the top of the platform, staring at the opposite wall without really thinking about anything. There was no reason for me to be there, but I had nowhere else to go. My house was haunted by her ghost, and I’d rather be here than listen to her old whispers, get a whiff of her scent when I opened one of my drawers or walked into my closet.
There were a few Skull Kings there, along with the girls serving beer.
No one bothered me, like they knew I didn’t want to talk.
I sat with my knees apart, the diamond on my right hand. I had power, money, everything…but after losing Catalina, I felt like I’d lost everything.
Steel stepped up to me. “Heath, Damien is here.”
It took me a few seconds to process what he’d said, to drop my fingers from my jaw and snap out of my haze. “Why?”
He raised both hands. “Wouldn’t tell me. But he’s got a lot of bags of money.”
Shit, that wasn’t good. “Send him in.”
Steel turned to retrieve him.
Without looking at anyone in particular, I addressed the people who lingered. “Leave the room.”
The guys left right away, and the girls dismissed themselves too, dropping everything they were doing so I could have the room to myself.
I stayed on my throne, waiting for him to walk in the door.
When he did, his green eyes were venomous like a snake with pointed fangs. A bag was in each hand, and he walked down the aisle between the benches and headed straight toward me. He dropped them, the heavy weight making a loud thud.
Then more men filed in, adding more bags to the pile.
I stayed in my chair, giving no reaction because this man was my enemy.
His men left, and he remained behind.
Steel stepped back into the room. “Everything has been scanned. It’s just money.”
All I did was slightly raise my hand from the armrest to excuse him.
Steel walked out.
Now it was just the two of us.
Damien stood at the bottom of the stairs, surrounded by the money he’d brought me. Now that he was looking me in the eye for the first time since knowing the truth about Catalina and me, he was livid, his eyes spewing fire like volcanos. His arms remained by his sides, and they shook slightly, as if seeing me in the flesh made him lose all control.
I rose from my throne and took my time walking down the stairs, knowing when I got there, I’d probably get a good punch to the face. I reached the last step and stared him down, unapologetic even though I was remorseful for everything I’d done.
He stared at me for a while before he spoke. “I’m not going to take a free pass from you—because my sister can’t be bought. You’ll take every euro for the next few months just as you promised.”
I had no idea what to say to that. It was disappointing, that he betrayed everything he believed in because he was so enraged by what I’d done to his sister. Our situation was even worse than I anticipated.
“First, my father.” He held up his forefinger. “Me.” He held up another. “Annabella.” A third. “Then my sister…” He held up his fourth finger before he dropped his hand. “You came into my life and fucked with everything I care about—everyone I care about.” He stepped closer to me. “So, I’ll stop paying you because you’re dead.”
I’d dismissed everyone from the room because this conversation needed
