Page 72 of Creeping Beautiful

McKay too.

But I force myself to remain calm. “Well… what can I do for you?”

He draws in a breath. “I’m taking it down for good.”

“We tried that already. I don’t even know the exact number of Company upper circle who died that night in Santa Barbara, but it was over two hundred. And we’re still here. And I’m still working. So that’s fine. If you want to do it again, I won’t get in your way. But you leave my girl out of it. You got the other one, the one I didn’t know about. But you can’t have Indie. And if you came here to tell me something different, we’re gonna settle this before you leave.”

He shoots me a crooked smile. “Big, tough words from you today, Adam.”

“And why the fuck are you telling people I’m working with you?”

He frowns. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’ve been hearing my name come up with yours and I don’t like it. I helped you out that one time. And you know damn well we haven’t been in contact since.”

“Oh. Adam. No. Not you. Some other dude. He’s in the FBI. Doesn’t even know he’s Company. Yet. But he’s part of my plan.”

“What plan?”

“Don’t worry about that part. I don’t need your help this time. I have it all covered. But…” He pauses. Stares at me with hard, cold, brown eyes. “I can’t leave these girls behind.”

I shake my head. Not understanding. “What… I don’t get it. Where are you going? Where are you taking them?”

But then it hits me.

He’s not going anywhere except down with this fucking Company ship.

“You’re killing them.” It’s not even a question. “You’re taking some kind of last stand and you’re making them go down with you.”

“They’re all fucked anyway, Adam. You and I both know that. The only reason you’re still alive is because your father backed you out of the program when you were twelve.”

I’m not sure if he’s trying to say I would’ve never cut it as a Company assassin or if he’s hinting that he’d have already killed me by now if my father had put me through the same early training Nick had.

Doesn’t really matter though. I only have one thing left to say to him and then I’m leaving. “It’s not Indie’s fault, Nick. It’s not your fault. It’s not my fault. She didn’t have a choice. I didn’t have a choice. You didn’t have a choice. This is just the life we got stuck with. So if you think killing little girls is the only way you can find the absolution you are so obviously looking for? Well, fuck you. Just… fuck you, Nick. There is no absolution for you. Your father made sure of that.”

“And your father made sure you got out.”

“I didn’t ask him to do that. And Indie didn’t ask me to save her, either. But he did. And I did. And I’m not gonna let you come in and rip her world apart just so you can feel better about yourself when you land in hell.”

“Is that where you think I’m headed?”

I almost laugh. “Are we done here?”

“I don’t know, Adam. Are we?”

“Stay the fuck away from my kid. You hear me? She’s not like us. She’s definitely not like you.”

He flips his hood down to reveal an almost completely shaved head. It makes him look even more dangerous and diabolical than he did with it up. And I can’t lie. My fuckin’ heart skips a beat. Adrenaline shoots through my body and my muscles are tense and ready if he decides this is where we part ways on bad terms.

This cannot be the boy I knew. It simply can’t be him.

But it is. I can see him underneath the tattoos and scars. He’s… in there. Somewhere.

“She’s not different. They all say that, Adam. Every one of them says it. And they might even all believe it. But it’s not true. She’s not different. Not from me. Not from you. Not from McKay. Not from any of us. And if you keep her—”

“If I keep her?” I scoff. “Motherfucker, she’s mine. Forever.”

“If you keep her, there will be a price to pay. And when that day comes…” He shakes his head. “I’m gonna be down in hell, laughing at you.”