“Because Luther warned her and Everett not to help or they’d be in trouble.”

“Do you really think she’s the type to listen?”

“Probably not.” And then Perry says something that sends my insides cold. “It’s why I’m in love with her.”

In … love.

Ice fills my veins, and I’m totally unprepared for how fucking instantly I want to rage. We’re heading for who the fuck knows where, and I’m going to be face-to-face with the woman the guy I slept with last fucking night is in love with.

Just when I thought that being shot at would be the worst part of my day.

The way we kissed keeps giving me this little gut tug every time I think about it, and now that memory is going to be replaced by seeing him with … her. Arlie. The contract killer who showed Perry the ropes and then let him loose on me.

“Any chance you can drop us off at my nightclub?” I ask, lifting my voice to be heard over the music.

Tommy turns it down a fraction. “No can do. It’s too easy to find you there.”

“I have security.”

“That won’t stop anyone.”

“I have Lars.”

Tommy throws Lars an assessing glance. “And as impressive as he is, one guy isn’t going to keep you safe.”

“What about me?” Perry asks, having the fucking balls to sound offended.

“What about you?”

“I protect you as well. It’s not just Lars.”

“Yeah, but Lars doesn’t go rogue when he sets out a plan, then get himself shot, then throw me out of a window. And when I asked to be dropped off, that plan didn’t include you.”

His jaw drops. “But we’re a team.”

I point at Tommy. “They’re your team. You don’t need to latch onto us for protection anymore.”

He’s frowning at me, and I hate the way it makes me want to apologize. If there’s one ask I could throw out to the universe, it would be for Perry to not look so damn disappointed and for that disappointment to do nothing to me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Lars glancing back at us both.

Perry slowly looks over at him. “But … we could all be a team. The five of us. With four of us protecting St. Clare, no one else stands a chance.”

“He’s got a point,” Lars says, and this is the part where I wish we really could communicate telepathically because I’d tell him I want to be literally anywhere Perry and Arlie aren’t.

Then he’d tell me to pull my head out of my ass and that this is more important than who my dick wants.

Which is a good point.

Even if I don’t want to acknowledge it.