Lifeline

Instead of telling me he’s not one of them, he slowly nods his head. “Got the message loud and clear, Jefferson.”

I hate seeing him like this. Letting out a deep breath, my shoulders slump a little. “I’m not the enemy. I care about you, Daniel. You mean more to me than you’ll ever know.” Giving him a pleading look, I add, “You’re my partner. My ride or die.”

His features begin to soften while his eyes drift shut. “I know.” Opening his eyes again, they’re warm, the sharpness gone. “I know, JJ.”

“Can you really do this?” Again my gaze is glued to his face, searching for any sign he’s reached his limit.

“It’s just five more days.” He inhales a deep breath, his chest stretching the white t-shirt to its limits. Taking his phone out, he says, “Let’s bug the device.”

Nodding, I move back to the other couch, and picking up the laptop, I send an encrypted message to his number. I watch as O’Brien opens it, and it registers on the laptop that I have access to his device. “Got it.”

The corner of his mouth lifts a little, a shimmer of regret rippling over his face. “Now, you can hear everything around me.”

“It will save us the time of you having to report to me,” I try to joke, but it falls flat. Clearing my throat, I ask, “Do you know where the party will be held?”

O’Brien shakes his head. “I’ll find out the day before it takes place. John mentioned it’s on a yacht.”

“John?”

“Berisha,” he corrects himself.

First, it was Dobroshi, now Berisha? He sees them as friends.

Giving me a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, he says, “Just five more days, and we’re done.”

Knowing a lot can go wrong before the bust goes down, the apprehension grows.

“Just get through it all in one piece,” I whisper, emotion welling in my chest. “I won’t survive losing you.”

O’Brien’s gaze meets mine, and the corner of his mouth lifts in a sad smile. “You won’t lose me.”

Chapter 16

O'Brien

We’ve been working our assess off, moving shipments of drugs and girls, collecting debts, and getting everything ready for this weekend.

I haven’t been back to my place since I last saw JJ and hate how tense things were between us. To say I feel torn is an understatement.

When you’re smuggling shit and your life is in danger every fucking second of the day, you have no choice but to trust the person who has your back. Joseph. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep the friendship from taking root in me.

Even fucking John has grown on me.

The only thing keeping me from losing myself is my love for JJ. It’s also the reason I can’t face her right now, not after taking all those girls to brothels and massage parlors where they’ll be used until there’s nothing left of them.

The guilt was something else. Raw. Relentless. A living, breathing force taking blows at my soul. To stop myself from breaking, I had to switch off.

“You’re quiet,” Joseph mentions from where he’s in the passenger seat as I drive us to the harbor.

“Just tired,” I admit. “It’s been a long week.”

“Adriel’s probably going to threaten me with divorce,” he chuckles, the worry simmering in his tone. “After this weekend, things will go back to normal.”

“I hope so,” I mutter, my voice sounding dead.

Glancing at Joseph, a different kind of guilt rears its ugly head. I tighten my hold on the steering wheel.

Joseph’s phone starts to ring, and he gives me an ‘oh shit’ look before he answers, “Yes, my love?” I keep glancing his way, taking in how worry bleeds over his face. “Shit. Ah… Okay. Yes, I’m coming!”

He ends the call just as we pull up to the yacht that’s impressive as fuck. “Something happen?”

He lets out a sigh. “Dori fell off her bike. They’re at the ER. Her arm might be broken.”

Concern for his daughter fills my heart. “You need to go to her.”

He gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry, my friend.”

He won’t be here when the bust goes down.

The relief is intense, a smile forming on my face. “Family comes first. Take care of Dori.”

“You’ll tell the others?” he asks as he opens the door, climbing out.

We meet at the front of the car. “Yeah. Go.” He hesitates for a moment, and it has me letting out a chuckle. “It’s just a party. I’ll be fine. I’ll hang with John.”

Giving me a brotherly hug, he says, “Check in with me as soon as you’re back on land.”

I wrap my arms around him, prolonging the hug because I know it’s the last time I’ll see him. “You’re a good friend.”

Joseph pulls back and gives me a worried look. “You okay?”

Nodding, I take a step back while gesturing at the car. “Go before Adriel really decides to divorce you.”