Squatting down on his heels, he looks me straight in the eyes. “I live a double life, Amara. I’m pretty sure I have thought about running more than you ever have in your entire life.”
“Then, why don’t you?”
He smiles. “There is no point in running. If I run, I’ll be running forever, and what fun would that be? I wouldn’t get much sleep at night, having to look over my shoulder at every corner.”
It makes sense. Running is the same as sitting and waiting. Both cause a knot of anxiety to form in your belly. I guess all I really want is freedom.
“Did he send you to fetch me?” I growl, changing the subject.
“No. He doesn’t even know I’m with you right now.” His voice is calm, but something about the fact Enzo didn’t know sent shivers down my spine. I still can’t be certain if Eli is the good guy or the bad?
“Why not?” The wind picks up, pushing my hair into my face, and a shiver runs through my body.
“He didn’t need to know. After all, he is the one who let you go,” Eli says, stating the obvious. Has he been watching us?
“What is your plan in all of this?” My voice turns high-pitched, terror filling my mind.
“My plan hasn’t changed. I’m not here to kill you or hurt you, so calm down. I can practically hear your heartbeat through your jacket.” A sliver of amusement shows on his face, which does nothing to calm my nerves.
“Why are you suddenly so nice to me?”
“You’ve been with Enzo for too long if you think this is me being nice.” He smirks and stands up. Suddenly, I feel small and vulnerable on the ground, so I push myself up.
Coming to a stand, I dust off the leaves and head for a nearby bench. Eli follows, and we both take a seat.
“I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did at Enzo’s place.”
I wait for him to say more but realize quickly that’s as close to an apology as I’ll get.
“Okay, so why are you helping me now?”
“I’m helping myself. We simply have the same enemy right now.”
“I don’t believe you. That’s not the only reason.”
He studies me for a moment before deciding to tell me. “I consider Enzo my friend. Probably the closest I have. Mack was feeding me lies about you. I was angry, and I wanted to hurt you.”
“Thanks for telling me.”
He gives me a slight nod. We’re still not friends, but I feel like we reached some kind of understanding.
“Ready to head back?”
“No, not really.” I’m not ready to face Enzo yet—if he’s even waiting for me. “Enzo told me you had a plan. He told me a little bit but not the whole thing.”
“Wow, the asshole really can keep a secret.” Eli laughs loud and proud. The creases on his face make it clear he doesn’t often smile, which is a shame. He is a handsome guy, actually looking approachable when he isn’t frowning or actively trying to hurt you.
“We got part of it out of him anyway,” I remark. A moment of silence passes between us as the wind rustled the leaves in the trees.
“Figures…”
“If you’re not gonna tell me the whole plan, why are you here?”
Shrugging his shoulders, he pulls a knife out of his pocket. I gasp, my first instinct telling me to run.
“Shhh,” he hushes me, placing his hand on my knee in a reassuring gesture. “I just watched Mack kill someone. He killed someone for no fucking reason, simply because he could. Someone who was loyal to him. Someone who trusted him. He disgusts me.” His words sneer together, and his hold on the blade becomes intense.
“Mack is a whole different level of evil.” My tone is all matter of fact as my heart rattles in my chest. With his hand on my knee and a knife in his palm, this man is going to give me a fucking heart attack.
“So was John, you know? He made us fucking do it to you. He told us to put you in that fucking hole. His own daughter.” Eli squeezes my leg before finally releasing it. “Family is fucking sacred. I have no respect for anyone who doesn’t act like it.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I stay quiet, melting into the bench. I watch Eli fidget with his knife for a few moments, it’s almost like it calms him down.
“I want to kill Mack. I want him to suffer.”
“He will,” I say with nothing but determination in my voice.
“I underestimated you.”
“A lot of people have. I’ve been in hiding for months now. Pushed and shoved around. Secrets have been thrown my way, and somehow, I’m still breathing…” The air shuffles past us, and I wrap my arms around myself to keep warm. “You know I’m still really fucking mad at you.”
His eyes come down to meet my own, and my breath catches for a mere second. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s true, but I shouldn’t antagonize him. He knows exactly that I’m talking about what he did to me in the basement. I can basically see him thinking about it. His pupils dilate, and his gaze turns heated. I’m not sure if he is about to kill or throw me down to fuck me.
“Like I said, I had the wrong picture of you back then. I mistreated you. I value family above all, and I consider Enzo family. After the cabin, I realize what you mean to him. He considers you family too. I will never harm or disrespect you again,” he promises.
“Good. You shouldn’t treat anyone like that.”
“I’m guessing you never told him about the basement since my dick is still attached to me.”
“I didn’t tell him everything just that you got rough with me,” I admit, and let the words Enzo said run through my head.
“I’ll make him pay… I promise. The second I’m done with needing him, he will die.”
I don’t think that threat applies anymore. I wouldn’t want Enzo to kill him. I don’t know how, but I’m somehow able to let go of that anger toward him. Either way, I’m not about to tell Eli.
“I definitely didn’t tell him about you seeing me naked, so don’t drop that bomb on him.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.” Eli lowers his gaze to my boobs as if he is remembering what I look like without clothes on. His stare used to creep me out, scare the shit out of me, now it only makes me blush.
There is something seriously wrong with me.
“I’m not planning on telling him the rest since you’re going to help us take down Mack. But if you ever throw a bucket of water on me again, I’m stabbing you in the chest.” I wasn’t joking.
“Fair enough,” Eli chuckles, “are you waiting for him to come and get you, or do you want to come with me?” Eli asks as he puts his knife away and gets up from the bench.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I look at him in a defensive manner. “I’m not waiting for him to come get me. I will go with you, but I want to make sure you aren’t taking me to Mack yet.”
He laughs, his whole body shaking, and my eyes wander all over the place. “I promise not to feed you to the devil just yet. I’ll take you out for some drinks and have you back at home before midnight. Since I know you’ll turn into a pumpkin and all.”
Say what?
“Are you serious?”