Chapter 0283

“But I do need to know it

“You don't!”

“Kent!” I interrupt, frustrated again, smacking my hand against his stomach to make him listen to me. “Something is going down!

Someone is trying to kill you, to kill us! And I want to help —*

“Fay,” Kent sighs. “There’s nothing you can do to help — I’ve got it handled. And even if you could help, I don’t want you to help.”

“Why not?” I ask, a little appalled.

“Because” he says, turning his face towards me. “I don’t want you involved in any of this — you or Daniel. I want all of this gone,

dead, dusted. I don’t want you to know any of this because the more you get caught up in it, the dirtier you’re going to get, and

the larger chance there is of you getting hurt. Or...kidnapped. Or fucking arrested, Fay.”

I blink in surprise. I never, ever considered that any of my connections to this could be...illegal. I mean. I haven't done anything

wrong.

Have I?

“Kent, I’m already involved in this,” I remind him softly. “I was born into this.”

“You were free of it,” he grumbles. “Your mom made sure of that. I’m the asshole who roped you back in.”

I bite my lip, realizing that’s true, but I shake my head anyway. “I don’t want out, Kent,” I say softly. “Not if it means...leaving.”

Leaving you, I finish in my head. But I’m not ready to say it yet.

“And I don’t want you to go,” he sighs, turning fully to me now so that we're face-to-face, just inches apart on the mattress. “So,

would you please just let me keep you out of it, Fay? It’s not — it’s not at all that I don’t trust you. I’m just — trying to end this, and

it's easier to do that if you and Daniel aren’t involved.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, unable to stop myself from reaching out a hand and laying it against his cheek. Kent turns his face

into my touch, pressing into my palm. “What are you trying to end?”

“All of this, Fay,” he sighs, his body relaxing into the mattress now, almost as if his secrets were a weight on him. “I want...out of

the world of crime. Completely. I want to go legit.”

“Really?” I ask, shocked. “Wh-why?”

“Are you so disappointed, Fay?” he murmurs, and I can hear the smirk in his voice. “Are you only attracted to me if there’s a hint

of danger to it?”

“No,” I reply, laughing a little. “I just... never thought of you outside of it. Why do you want this?”

“I've wanted it since I was old enough to want,” he replies, his words distanced and thoughtful now. “Ever since I saw my father

being murdered.”

I go cold as I remember Kent telling

me that story, about watching hi

father bleed to. degih barre hifr in a

beptalandd Ait. He had only been a

child, and then was almost

immediately sent away to Italy.

Please read the original content at

.

“I owed — we owed — the Bianci’s

everything in exchange for what they

did for me,” he continues. “And I gaye

it all to them — ggyedhisn fe

pusineseany the connections that

they wanted when I came back to

America, made them more money

than they've ever had, gave them a

grandson to inherit it all, gave them

my god damn heart when I married

Lenai —“ Please read the original

content at .

I go still a little when I hear him mention her, when he finishes his words angrily through clenched teeth.

Because I have to admit — on a night

when I think Kent migh be leavinigh I

ivi thelegypersonY Wanit to think

a Li is the woman I can never live

up to. Lenai. Please read the original

content at .