The Arrangement Anthology 2(137)

Sean shakes his head. He opens his mouth to speak and then steps away, turning his back on me.

“Answer me! This isn’t a game, Sean! I thought you died! I thought Marty killed you!”

When he turns back to look at me, Sean’s voice is cold. “It doesn’t matter.”

“The hell it doesn’t! You knew I love you, and you used that against me! But why am I surprised? I should have seen this coming. Falling in love with a Ferro is dangerous. They steal your heart and destroy your soul. Well, you know what? I’m not dead yet.”

We stare at each other for way too long. Sean works his jaw, not wanting to answer, but I already know he’s going to deny ever feeling anything for me. The thing is I know it’s a lie—I feel it. The tension between us is hot and palpable. Marty senses it too, based on the way he stands at the window, giving us more space. One man admits he cares about me, the other won’t. I roll my eyes and stand up. I think I’m going to be fine, but everything spins and I fall into Sean’s chest.

He catches me quickly in those strong arms and holds me to his chest. Looking into his face, I try one last time. “Why won’t you say it? Sean, I know how you feel.”

“I tried to return you.”

“The key word there is tried. You tried to return me, but then you bought me again and again after that.”

Sean watches me and tries not to smile. His voice drops to a whisper, “I tried to love you, the way you want, the way you need and it nearly got you killed.” He tangles his fingers in my hair and lifts my chin. “This needs to end, we need to end if you want to walk away alive.”

Silence spans between us, becoming deafeningly loud.

Sean finally breaks the silence, “I want the documents.”

“I don’t have them.” Defiant, I lie to his face.

“I know you do. There’s been a squatter in a home I recently acquired. You wouldn’t happen to know her, would you?” Sean looks so smug. I shove him away, and he has the audacity to smile at me.

“You bought my parents’ house?”

“Campone bought it before me, trying to find the documents. His men searched every inch of that home and came up with nothing, but I saw you climbing around the kitchen. Want to tell me what you found?”

“Mom’s cash stash. No papers.”

“Don’t do this, Avery.” Sean’s brow bunches together and his voice is strained. “I can’t protect you from this.”

“Obviously.” Glancing at Marty, I add, “and neither can he. You two brought the damn mafia in tow.” Sean and I are standing, facing each other, gazes locked. “Since it seems I have a limited life expectancy, I want to leave. Now.”

Sean blocks me after I twist out of his grip. “No, not until you tell me where they are.”

“Campone is dead, Sean.”

Sean gets in my face, and his warm breath washes over my lips as he rants. “His men aren’t, Avery. There’s a power vacuum and every single one of those guys is trying to find you, torture you, and make you wish you were dead. We can help you. Give me the documents, and Marty will get you out of here.”

“Why not you?” As soon as I ask the question, Sean’s gaze drops, almost as if he’s ashamed, and I know his plan. He’s trying to take Campone’s place. I knew Sean had some shady business dealings, but this isn’t like him. It can’t be true. But the way he moves away from me says volumes.

“Marty, take her back.” Sean steps away from me and walks out of the room.

Marty puts his hand on my arm to lead me out of the house, but I shake it off, storming after Sean instead. “Come back here! You can’t do this! Have you lost your mind? You’re a businessman, not a crime lord. Sean Ferro, stop!”

I follow Sean out of the room, up some stairs and into an upstairs hallway, yelling at him all the way, though he doesn’t appear to hear me. Marty doesn’t follow.





Chapter 7

Sean storms into a little room, and I burst in behind him. It’s not until we’re inside that he rounds on me. Moving swiftly, both his hands are suddenly coming at my head. He uses his body to slam me back into the door as it shuts behind me.

Sean’s fists are on either side of my head, his nose touching mine, he breathes in my face, “You have no idea who I am or of what I am capable. I admit, I’m infatuated with you and always have been. But you are a diversion, and right now that’s a very bad thing for both of us.”

My heart thumps rapidly in my chest, my body screaming for me to run, but I can’t move. Sean is pressing into me, crushing me, holding me in place. “This isn’t you,” I say softly.