I should leave it at that, but I’ve never been able to keep my head around Abel the same way I can around other people. “Are you planning on reversing all the things I’ve spent the last five years doing?” Improvements and foundational building to improve the community. To create a community. Most people look at this faction, see the ruler, see Old Town, and think that’s an indication about how the rest of its citizens live. It’s nowhere near the truth.
“Case by case basis. Some shit will stay, some will revert.” He slides his hands into his pockets, expression unreadable. “No matter what else you think of me, the plans I have for this faction are the same they were when we talked about it.” He turns away. “But then, if you trusted me enough to believe that, we would have been ruling together the last eight years instead of what happened.”
That’s the problem. I don’t trust him. He’s been gone too long from Sabine Valley, reminds me too much of his father now that he’s back. I can’t afford to believe he still wants the same things we spent countless hours talking about. “Then we want the same thing.”
“Do we? I’m not so sure.”
That right there is why I have to play nice. Why I suspect Harlow has decided to do the same. If she has a chance of influencing Abel’s decisions, she’s going to take it. A choice she shouldn’t have to make, but she’s been plenty clear about how little she cares about my feelings when it comes to her choices. It still makes me fucking furious, but I can put that aside for now.
Our people are the most important thing.
Playing nice means having a chance to convince Abel that not all the changes made while the Paines were gone were bad. Hell, most of them weren’t. “I’ll be ready.”
He doesn’t move. “Don’t try shit, Eli. I’d hate to have to kill you in front of Harlow. It’ll upset her.” He almost sounds like he means it. As if he cares one way or another about Harlow’s mental health.
I want to strike at him. If not physically, than verbally. The impulse is almost overwhelming, but I manage to muscle it down. “I wouldn’t do anything to upset Harlow.”
“Uh-huh.” Abel shakes his head. “That’s one thing I don’t get. You might have shoved a knife in my back, but that doesn’t change that you’re one of the smartest people I’ve ever known. The man I was friends with wouldn’t let a single resource go to waste, and Harlow is one hell of a resource. Why the fuck didn’t you use her?”
“She’s been through enough,” I grind out. “She deserves better than to be used.”
He doesn’t blink. “You were never such a sanctimonious prick when I knew you. You pluck her off the street, put her in your bed, and then decide you know what’s best for her. Did you ever ask her?”
I’m not having this conversation, especially not with him. I drag my hand through my hair and adjust my glasses. “You don’t have the high ground in this conversation. You didn’t ask her what she wanted, either.”
A strange little smile pulls at the edges of his lips. “Didn’t I?” He heads for the door. “Be ready at four. Dress to impress.” And then he’s gone, closing the door softly behind him.
It’s only then that I realize he never asked me a single question about my role in the coup that killed his father and burned his childhood home. A normal person would want to know why. Either Abel already thinks he knows, or he doesn’t care. I don’t know why that bothers me so much.
He’s…different.
I never really expected him to come back here. There might be a small, insignificant part of me that wanted to see him again, but not like this. Never like this.
I should have gone after him that first night. I never should have let things stay this long unsaid between us.
I close my eyes and strive to think. No matter what kind of man Abel is now, he’s still just a man. There will be a way to set things right. Even now, with rage simmering in my blood, I don’t want him dead. The last few days have been infuriating, but they’re two days in a lifetime. He was my friend for nearly thirty years.
Fuck, I can’t afford to think like that. Abel sure as hell isn’t letting some long-dead friendship color his motivations and actions. If he realizes I have a soft spot, he’ll aim for it and dig his knife in deep.
No, Abel isn’t the one I need to move forward.
Harlow is.
16
Harlow
It takes the better part of two hours to calm all the Brides down. I don’t manage to convince either Beatrix or Mabel’s bodyguard—Sonya is her name—to leave, but no one sheds any blood. It’s not a win, but it’s a solid stalemate. Breaking through to the Brides will take a lot more time and effort.