Dirty Addiction (Dirty 2)

“Get the fuck away from him!” Nina yells.

“Calm down. I’m helping him.”

“Get away!” she cries again.

I turn to Arlo. “Will you tell her to stop so that I can help you?”

Arlo studies me a minute and then looks at Nina. She stops screaming, and I look down at his wound. I pull thread and a needle out of my pocket I always keep with me when we are going into battle, and I start closing his wound.

“You did this all on purpose, didn’t you? Why?” Arlo asks, finally understanding I was scheming this whole time.

“Because Enrico was alive after you left. And he wouldn’t stop until he got his revenge. You protected Nina by running. I protected her by setting a trap for Enrico.”

“By using us as the bait?” Arlo asks, his voice raised.

“Yes.”

Arlo head butts me. “You put Nina’s life at risk!”

“I had to; it was the only way to get Enrico to come to me. I needed to ensure that he was killed.”

“You stabbed me and didn’t include me on the plan.”

I roll my eyes. “I barely stabbed you, and you know I missed any major organs. You’ll be good as new in a few weeks.”

Arlo growls, and Nina crosses her arms with a pissed expression.

“Why did you steal Eden? Why keep her so long?” Nina asks.

I wince, not wanting to answer. “I found you guys within a few weeks of you leaving. I needed it to look like I hadn’t though so Enrico would think you were so off the grid, he wouldn’t bother looking. So I pretended that I needed Eden’s help to find you. I planned on using her to get him to think I was struggling to find you and keep you safe until I came up with a plan. But then…”

“Then you fell in love with her,” Nina finishes.

I nod. “And now she thinks I hate her.”

Nina places a hand on my shoulder. “You’ll earn her love back.”

She slaps me across the cheek. “But don’t ever hurt her or stab my boyfriend again.”

“I won’t,” I say, rubbing the spot that barely stings.

“He’s headed north. We think he has a cabin he’s renting about thirty miles from here,” Clive says as he jogs over to me.

Nina’s eyes grow big as she takes a step in front of Arlo, who still has his arms tied behind his back.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Arlo asks, looking at Clive.

Clive cocks his head to the side as he grins as Nina. “Matteo needed my assistance.”

Nina and Arlo turn their gazes to me.

“I needed more help to ensure that Enrico was dead. I’ve been busy with Eden and the baby—”

“Baby?” Nina squeals.

I smile. “Eden’s pregnant.”

“Oh my god! I’m going to be an aunt!” she screams.