Lines Drawn (Drawn to You #2) - Ker Dukey Page 0,24
come after me?”
“I’m going to catch him, Antonia.”
The cab pulls up at the club. With any luck, the bouncer who knows me will be working and I won’t have to make the embarrassing call to Gavin to get me in.
Breathing out a sigh of relief when I’m waved straight in, I hobble down the stairs. The club isn’t busy with it still being early, and Fin’s form is visible at the bar with Gavin. The barmaid nods to him that I’m present and he turns just as I’m approaching.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.” His tone is flat, and it hurts my heart a little. Gavin leans over and plants a kiss on my cheek.
“You want something to drink?” he asks, but my focus is on the intense stare Finlay is giving me.
“Can we go home and talk?”
“Well we could, but you always seem to get a phone call and have to bolt.”
A sigh leaves me and my chest deflates. “Fin, please?”
“Come on. I’ll drive you both,” Gavin offers, pushing Fin’s drink back towards the barmaid.
“Fine.”
The drive is tense, the atmosphere is thick and tightening the space around us. I’ve never really felt this way around Fin, uncomfortable and suffocated by his intensely darker presence.
“Are you going to be okay or do you want me to come up?” Gavin asks, not directing the question to anyone in particular.
Finlay just grunts and gets out of the car.
“Thanks for the ride. We’ll be all right,” I assure him
“Well, call if you need anything.”
“I will,” I tell him, climbing out. As I walk past his window, he winds it down and adds. “I mean it, Antonia. Anything.”
There’s an underlying intent there, like he’s trying to tell me something without spelling it out. He would be there for me if things got too heated with Fin, even though Fin’s his best friend. I’m grateful for that, for him.
I smile and nod before following Fin who is already inside waiting for me.
“THAT PHONE CALL WAS the man… the man that attacked me that day in the shop.”
My whole body solidifies, and anger and confusion battle for occupancy in my head. Her words spill from her lips, and it’s hard to grasp the concept of what she’s telling me. James’ brother is responsible.
“And you didn’t even know he had a sibling?” I ask, the shock almost accusing in my tone, and it’s not what I want, it’s just the complete disbelief that this is happening and that she kept it a secret this entire time.
“James gave him the code.” She scrunches her shoulders up, almost as if shielding herself from the words she speaks. I’m going to kill James with my bare fucking hands, feel the life squeeze from him as I tighten my hands around his neck.
“Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?” This time I am accusing. She should have fucking told me.
“I didn’t want to believe it and needed to hear him confirm it.”
“And has he?”
“I can’t reach him.”
Anger pulses through my veins and pounds in my skull. Who was the guy on the phone then?
“Fuck him, Antonia. You need to call the police and let them confirm it and arrest that motherfucker.”
She nods her head, and sadness fills her eyes. It only infuriates the already burning rage, wanting to tear this place apart just to find some release.
“Are you trying to protect him?” I growl.
Her face drops and her eyes squint as she glares at me. “No! I’ve contacted the police already. It just hurts, Finlay. I trusted and loved him, and he betrayed me in such a way that will scar and stay with me for the whole of my life.”
I pace the space between us, my hands running through my hair.
“I don’t know what to do with this information,” I tell her.
Antonia not telling me all this until now is going to nag away at me.
I hate that she still hides things from me and tries to deal with them on her own. We’re supposed to be a team, work things out together. More lies, more secrets, and we promised we wouldn’t have them anymore. Part of me knows I shouldn’t let the anger rule here. She’s telling me now and will need me to get through this.
“You’re safe here, and at least now you know, and the police know who to look for and arrest. Soon they will have him and you can try and get some closure.”
Her head moves up and down in agreement, but the pain