Queen of Hearts (Wonderland 2)

Chapter Eighteen

Nick

“I’m losing my fucking patience,” Harrison says as he intercepts me on my way to Lyriope. “I get it. You’re a man falling in fucking love. Hearts shooting out your asshole. But when you aren’t listening to me, or listening to Martha, and you are making decisions that could get us all killed, I’m going to step in and make you see reason. Even if I have to beat it into you.”

I stop mid stride and stare at him. Good ol’ Harrison. The only man who can speak to me like that without losing his tongue. “Have you forgotten who works for who?” I ask, my voice even and steady.

“Oh fuck that,” Harrison spats. “You know damn well that our relationship has changed years ago. You’re like a fucking brother to me, and I know I am to you. Which is why I’m here telling you that enough is enough. I need you to stop. I need you to listen. And then I’m going to need you to fucking act.”

“Fine. I’m listening.” I cross my arms against my chest, narrowing my eyes, but giving the man all my attention.

“Lucian has been calling and he’s livid you aren’t taking his calls.”

I shrug. “I said I would. On my terms. When I’m ready.”

“Well, it’s time you become ready!” Harrison shouts. “He was a friend of yours, so you at least owe him your goddamn attention.”

“Fine,” I agree. “You have a point. I’ll call him before Wonderland tonight.”

“Too late,” Harrison says. “The Morellis are coming to Wonderland. Bryant is coming tonight, and he’s demanding a tea party. They know why you’re in Italy, and they know Lyriope is with you.”

My heart stops, and Harrison’s information is like a bucket of cold water on the warm bliss I’ve been living in. “How the fuck did that happen?”

Harrison rolls his eyes. “Oh I don’t know. Maybe because you’re running around Italy like you are on your fucking honeymoon. Maybe you’ve been watched like a hawk like Martha and I warned you that you would be. You let your dick and your puppy-love heart rule over all your reason.”

Running my hand through my hair, I sigh deeply. “Fuck. I thought we’d have more time.”

“Ticktock, says the rabbit.” Harrison crosses his arms and repositions his weight, waiting for me to fully allow the reality to sink in.

A change of plans needs to happen. I see this. I know this. Harrison is right. He’s always fucking right, which is why he is like a brother to me. He was right in stating the obvious in that too.

“Cora should be here any minute. I was going to have her go to Wonderland with us, but I’ll have her stay back with Lyriope. You and I will go to Wonderland, we’ll meet with Bryant, and then we’ll take it from there.”

“And then what?” Harrison asks. “Are you prepared to hand Lyriope over to Bryant?”

“Fuck no. That is not an option.” When Harrison opens his mouth to speak, I cut him off with, “I would rather die. No. Fucking. Way.”

“It’s time to face reality. It’s not just the Morellis. Not just the Constantines. The Sidorovs are now interested. I figured they would be once they saw the interest in this chick.”

“She’s not just some chick. And fuck the Sidorovs. I’m not worried about them.”

“That’s the problem. You need to be.” He lets out a heavy breath. “And why in the fuck would you tell Cora where you are and have her come out here? The entire purpose of this rustic shithole you have us staying in was to keep our location top secret. We are in hiding. Remember?”

I shake off his words. “It’s Cora. You and I both know that her knowing where we are is fine.”

“No, man. You may think that. I don’t. We had a plan, and you aren’t sticking to it.” He pauses his tirade and looks down at his boots kicking a rock in the dirt. “I’d fucking take a bullet for you. You know this. But I don’t want us to look like damn fools before we face our maker. So for the love of fucking God, can you start acting like the Nick Hudson who I know, respect, and even fear?”

“I hear you, I do,” I say, knowing Harrison wouldn’t be confronting me like this unless he had given this a lot of thought. He’s right. He’s able to see all of this with clear eyes. Mine are blurry.

“I’m not sure you do,” Harrison says. “When we first met, you hired me to be your right-hand man. You needed someone who you could trust, and who could tell it to you like it is. Before you, I didn’t care about a fucking soul. No one. No ties. No connections. You hired me because of that. You wanted someone who was just like you. Two loners who were fucked up. Well… things have changed whether we want to admit it or not. I care about you. I do. And I like seeing how this girl, Lyriope, makes you happy. I can see it. Not just because your dick is being sucked, but because she genuinely brings you a light I’ve never seen before. Anyone can see how happy you are. What she does to you. But I’m going to be frank. This little bubble you are in is about to be popped. It can’t keep on as is. I wish it could for your sake, but I have to be honest with you. It’s not going to end the way you want it to.”

I don’t want to allow my thoughts to process what he’s saying. I’m not willing to consider Lyriope in my life. But I’m also willing to take it one step at a time. I need to focus on tonight. Wonderland.

“We’ll go to Wonderland tonight. We’ll see what happens at the tea party. And then you and I—both of us—will decide what the next step is. I give you my word. No more thinking with my dick.”

Harrison tilts his head and studies me for a few moments before saying, “Good. We hear Bryant out. We consider all options. All options. Agreed?”

“Agreed.”