Chapter 42

42

Nick

Dawn broke across the city, casting light on dark spires that I could see from the observation deck of the Penobscot building. Staring down at the city from five hundred and sixty-eight feet in the sky, I waited for Alec to arrive at our old haunt, accessible via the staircase that lead out onto the parapet, where the famous red beacon blinked behind me. All the major landmarks of the city stood beautiful and proud around me, the graffiti and broken windows invisible from that height.

My whole life, I’d never had anything against the place where I’d grown up. Detroit pumped through my veins, infected my blood. No matter where I lived, it’d always be home.

The Penobscot building was the perfect place for our meets, and Alec and I often sat plotting over beers while balanced on the narrow wall of the parapet. The view reminded us why revenge wasn’t just about what happened to my family. It was about being a voice to the voiceless.

Unusually, as I stood there, the height made me queasy.

“Still think you have the balls to jump?”

I turned to find Alec standing behind me, his cigar hanging out of his mouth, but snapped my attention back to the edge of the building and peered down at the rooftops below me. I probably wouldn’t even hit the streets. “Maybe.”

“I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Does it matter? Unless Culling does the honors first, you’re going kill me anyway. That’s the deal, remember?”

“How could I forget?” he said, but I caught the flinch of his eye.

“Of course, if you’ve come to throw me over the edge of the building, at least let me pick the side first.” I glanced over the railing. “The east end looks like a messy fall.”

“Then, you still wish to go through with this? To the end.”

I twisted to face him. “I have to.”

“Am I to assume you’ve spent two weeks with a woman and never once fucked her?”

His question brought a smile to my face, despite the sobering expression on his furrowing his brow. “You assume wrong.”

With the cigar caught between his lips, he crossed his arms behind his back and paced. “And this fucking you gave her, how was it?”

Scratching my cheek couldn’t hide the widening of my smile, and I turned away from him, facing the magnificent view of the city. “Good. Real good.” I entwined my fingers, resting them atop the wall.

“And yet, you have no desire to explore her body? To see how dark and depraved she’s willing to become at your command? You’d prefer death instead.”

“At my command? She might act all sweet and obedient, but that woman does what she wants.” Cocking my head to the side brought Alec’s stiff form into my periphery, and the smile on my face shriveled. “She’s the wife of my enemy, Alec. Her husband destroyed everything that meant something to me. He destroyed the man who might’ve been capable of loving a woman like her. There’s nothing left. Why do you keep probing about this? What the hell do you want from me?”

“The truth, Nick. No one knows you better than I do. And I happen to believe you’ve fallen in love with her.”

His bold statement had me rolling my head against my shoulders. “Love is a bit too strong for what I feel. She’s been a good distraction, I’ll give you that. But that’s—”

Pain exploded in the back of my head as I hit the wall behind me, and I caught my balance, while Alec stood, cigar in mouth, his fingers curled around my throat.

“’The hell?”

“Stubborn fuck! I’m losing patience.” He released me, and my knees damn near buckled as I drew in a breath, desperate for air.

I rubbed the back of my head, a growl brewing inside my chest alongside the urge to punch him. “We’ve got bigger topics on this meeting’s agenda, don’t you think? Like a plan to take out the goddamn mayor of the city? Who gives a shit about the woman?”

He leapt on top of me, gripping the neck of my T-shirt, his fist drawn back, but I flipped him over, and both of us pushed to a stand.

I swung, but he ducked, and my fist drove through the window of the door behind him. “Fuck!” The glass had sliced the delicate skin, leaving a lick of flames dancing across my flesh.

My feet kicked out from under me, and gravel smashed into my spine, knocking my field of vision left then right, wide and blurry, before it shrank back to normal. Alec straddled me, that fucking cigar hanging on like a champ from his mouth.

I caught his returning punch midair and held firm to his wrist, ready to volley the next strike. “What the fuck has gotten into you? What does it matter?” At his silence, I continued, “Here, I thought you’d be pissed that I’d developed feelings for her, and you act like you’re ready to kill me if I didn’t.”

“Then you do have feelings for her.”

“Yeah. I do.” I puffed a breath. “She makes me fucking crazy and has my body all strung the hell out. But my feelings won’t get in the way of the plan, so chill the fuck out.”

He lowered his fist and released my shirt like I’d satisfied him.

“Tell me something, Alec. Kidnapping Aubree Culling was never part of the original plan. What made you change your mind?”

With a push off the gravel, he rose to his feet and wiped the dirt from his pant legs. “It’s not important.” He reached a hand out to me. “Let’s discuss the end of this plan.”