“Nothing for you to be sorry about. We were both amped up, and everyone says shit they don’t mean when they’re angry.” He paused, seeming tired, and ran a hand over his stubble. “Anyway, we both knew what we were getting into.”

“But we got into it anyway,” I finished.

He let out a quick breath. “Yeah, we did.”

“Well, at least we were clever enough to end things before they got out of hand.”

Lee’s eyes sharpened, his lips forming a straight line, and I could tell that what I’d said pissed him off. All I got out of him was a flat, “Huh.”

“So, I guess I’ll be seeing you,” I said, moving to walk by him. He stepped in my way, blocking my path, and kept coming forward, forcing me to retreat until my back hit the wall. Pressing his entire body into mine, he whispered, “You think it’s going to be that easy, Karla?”

His question made me swallow as I brought my hands to his chest and pushed. He barely moved an inch. In fact, my pushing him only incited him to press into me harder. I could feel every inch of his torso, from his hard pecs and abs to the beat of his heart thumping wildly at his collarbone.

“Don’t do this,” I pleaded.

“I miss how you feel,” he said, his voice deep and sensual.

My body grew soft against his, the tone he used making me melt. I needed to be stronger. “You should hate me.”

“I know, but I can’t. I don’t think I ever could.”

“Lee, you’re making this harder than it needs to be,” I said, my hands moving up from his chest to touch his neck. “It’ll be easier if we don’t see each other. Proximity is a problem for us, you know that.”

He dipped his head, his mouth touching my earlobe. “I can’t help it that you draw me in.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I want you back in my bed. I want to feel you shake for me.”

I trembled, my throat catching as I responded, “It can’t happen.”

“It can. You just have to let it. I’ll take care of everything else.”

Suddenly, I realised I was letting him get to me just like I always did. I was letting him blur my vision and jumble up my thoughts with sex. His mouth fell from my earlobe as I drew back as far as I could.

“But don’t you see, that’s just the thing. You’re not taking care of anything. You’ve gotten away with murder for so long that you’ve lost your fear. I know you steal. I know you work for a dangerous man, but you have to get out now.” I paused to catch my breath and eyed him pointedly. “You have to get out before it’s too late, and, believe me when I say this, it’s going to be too late very soon, Lee.”

His brow furrowed, and I hoped he got my message. I couldn’t say it outright, but I could warn him in my own particular way.

“What are you saying?”

“The other morning I was silent. Well, now I’m not. You need to listen to me. Otherwise, I can’t predict what might happen to you and your family. Do you understand?”

His eyes grew serious as his lips firmed, and a long moment of quiet passed before he nodded. “Yeah, I get you.”

I exhaled deeply, knowing I’d done my bit. Now it was down to him to make things right. My dad was gunning for McGregor, and it was personal. He wasn’t going to stop until he took down him and everyone who worked for him. I just hoped Lee pulled himself and his brothers out of the building before the bomb went off.

“I’m going home now,” I said. “I have to work in the morning.”

Lee allowed me to move away, but only because he was deep in thought. Reaching down, I took his hand in mine and gave it a soft squeeze before continuing on my way. It was a relief to know he’d taken my words to heart, and some of the tension inside me eased, knowing that Lee and his brothers might get a chance at a different kind of life.

The entire concept was flipped entirely on its ear the very next day when I arrived at the station to find the place packed to the rafters. Young men lined either side of the reception area, all sporting handcuffs. I had no idea what was going on, but one thing was clear: If the men hadn’t been restrained, we would’ve had a riot on our hands. Hostility permeated the air like a real live thing.

It was only as my eyes travelled over those present that I saw Liam, Trevor, and Lee all standing by one wall. A constable began guiding Lee through the double doors that led to the interview rooms. Despite the fact that his face was all cut up, he wore a wide grin that was directed firmly at a dark-skinned guy on the other side of the room. Blood stained Lee’s forehead, and there was a wound on his chin.

When I took a proper look at the man he was grinning at (who, by the way, was seething back at him), I recognised the neck tattoo. It was the same bloke who’d tried to intimidate me outside the grocery shop that one evening, the one I’d told Lee about. The blood in my veins turned to ice as an unsettling idea came upon me. This wasn’t about that, was it?

“Real brave grinning at me like a smug fuck when I can’t do nothing about it,” said the neck tattoo. “Where’d you leave your balls, Cross?”

“Left them under your mum’s bed. She’s keepin’ them warm for me,” Lee quipped, and the neck tattoo dove for him right before two officers hurried to hold him back.

I stood in place watching it all unfold, and Lee’s smile faltered only slightly when his eyes finally landed on me. He hadn’t been expecting to see me there, that much was clear, perhaps because I’d told him last night that I had to work early. It was a lie to end our conversation. I wasn’t due in until midday, which was why I was still on shift.