Chapter 56
Chapter fifty-six
Rafe
The mayor shuffles into his office, barefoot and wearing nothing but sweatpants, while his wife still sleeps in the room down the hall. I immediately step from the shadows. I don’t want to waste any more of my time on this job.
Relief is a living, breathing being inside my chest. I’ve seen the destruction Campbell left behind, the kind of trauma he instilled in people. Vengeance is sweet.
“Why are you here?” The mayor plants his feet. I can see him fight the urge to jump back, instead holding his ground.
“It’s done. I warned you it could become complicated. The cost has doubled.” I hadn’t lied when I told Barrett I don’t care about the money. I would have had a hand in Campbell’s demise one way or another.
“Doubled?”
I raise my brow. This shouldn’t be a surprise.
“Fine. Did everything go the way we discussed?”
“Not even close. But there won’t be anyone taking his place.
Not directly and not for a long time.” I knew better than most that there is always another evil waiting in the shadows for their time to rule, but every detail of Campbell’s organization would be extremely public in about an hour, sending those waiting to take his place deeper into the shadows and fleeing the country.
The mayor hangs his head, cursing under his breath. “Fuck. I’m about to walk into a nightmare, aren’t I?”
I smirk. “A fucking horror movie.”
“Great,” he says with severe sarcasm and stalks to his desk, opening his laptop. I wait while he sends payment. My phone pings in my pocket, alerting me to the deposit.
“Pleasure doing business, although I’d rather we didn’t make this a regular occurrence.”
“Agreed.” He gestures toward the door, making it clear it’s time for me to leave. I do without another word.
But I don’t go home.
Letting myself into my club, I climb the back stairs to the apartment on the top floor.
Silently letting myself in and through the studio-style home, I pause in the bedroom door.
The figure in the bed is so petite despite being sprawled widespread with her head tilted up.
A small snore echoes with her intake of breath.
She’s been safe for years, and while she hadn’t been a direct victim of Campbell’s, Hannah came too close. She’s been with me ever since.
She takes in a long breath, holding it as she rolls onto her side and brings her knees up to her chest. Seconds later, her eyes open and search the room. Hannah sighs when they land on me.
“Rafe,” her sleep-softened voice whispers.
I don’t speak. This isn’t the first time I’ve come to check on her in her sleep and it isn’t the first time she’s woken up because of my presence.
But as she sits up in bed, allowing the blankets to fall off her shoulders, I avert my eyes to the floor. The nightdress she’s wearing is silky, thin, and low, dipping between her breasts. I break my silence and close my eyes.
“Go back to sleep.”
“Why are you here?”
“The same reason I always am.”
I open my eyes, peering at her in my peripheral, to ensure she hasn’t moved from the bed.
She’s chewing on the inside of her lip and shaking her head.
“Go away, Rafe. I don’t need you to check in on me.
” Hannah flops back onto the bed, pulling the covers over her head as she rolls away to her other side.
She doesn’t need me to check in on her. I need it.