Kiss the Stars (Falling Stars #1)(100)

It was his debt that was coming due.





Thirty-Three





Leif





Three Years Ago





I crept in through the backdoor into the kitchen. Cringed when Maddie lifted her head from where she was waiting for me at the small table. Streaks of mascara ran down her eyes, hair a mess, distrust on her face. “Where were you?”

Guilt spiraled.

Shivered and shook.

I blew out a sigh and tossed my keys to the counter. “Out.”

Wanted to keep her from it.

Protect her from the truth.

I was so damned close.

I just needed a few more days.

She laughed a disbelieving sound, and she pushed to her feet, her head shaking with hurt. “You’re a liar.”

In defeat, I pressed my hands to the counter and dropped my head, talking to the granite because I wasn’t brave enough to look at her. “I’m trying not to be.”

Soggy laughter ripped from her throat. “We have a daughter, Leif.”

Slowly, I spun around.

Love gripped me by the chest. What this was doing to my girl.

She wasn’t a fool. She was just blameless.

Incorruptible. Which was exactly the way I wanted it to be.

“I have an out, Maddie. After this last job, I’m done. Keeton is cutting me loose.”

“You were supposed to be done three years ago,” she begged.

“It’s rare that I do anything for him. Just when he absolutely needs me.”

“You think that makes it okay?” It was a shout. A whimper. Her outright disappointment. “Is this the life you want your daughter to live? Is this what you want her to see when she looks at you? Is this the legacy you want to leave behind?”

The force of her words should have blasted me back.

Instead, they propelled me forward.

Desperate to touch her. To get her in my arms. I wrapped them around her.

Tight.

Let her pound her anger out on my chest.

Murmured the whole time, “I’m sorry. I’m fucking sorry. I tried to get free. I tried, baby. I tried.”

“Why should I believe you?” she choked out where she sobbed into my shirt.

“Because I love you. Because Haylee is my life. Because I’m doing everything I have to so I can get free of this. It’s over this weekend, and then I’m taking all of us away. Far fucking away. Where none of this can touch us again.”

“Do you love me, Leif? Really, truly love me? Tell me this isn’t a lie. That I’m not wasting my life believing in you.”

She looked up at me with the burden of what I’d done to her swimming in those green eyes.

Grief. Hurt. With the hope she’d sparked in me the day she’d stumbled into the shop.

I cupped her face, and I gave her my only perfect truth.

“Only you. Forever. No matter what.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise.”





*



Braxton and I rode. Headlights of our bikes spraying through the dark, deep, bitter night.

Nixon was on his bike leading us into the darkness.

Couldn’t stand the prick. One of Krane’s crew who’d been sent to make sure we were square on our end.

Oversee.

Watch.

He was nothing but a pompous ass who didn’t give a fuck about anyone. Had only worked with him a couple times. Barely knew him. It didn’t take a whole lot to get the gist.

At least I had Brax at my side. The one guy in this disaster that I could trust.

It was close to dawn.

In the most wicked hour when no one remained awake except for the demons that roamed the earth.

The truck followed close behind, and we veered off the desolate two-lane road onto a dirt path carved through the desert, city lights making Los Angeles look like it sat within a dusky snowglobe in the far distance.

Our bikes bounced on the rough terrain. I gritted my teeth, fighting the feeling of unease that kept sweeping through me.

Disquiet a zephyr that hissed and moaned.

We came to a stop where three Mercedes SUVs were parked facing out.

Krane’s men stepped out.

Soldier’s carrying huge fucking guns.

Sweat gathered at my temples, and I swallowed down the fear. I hated this shit. Hated it with every fiber of who I was.

I was done.

So damn done.

Climbing off my bike, I gave a signal for our guys to get out. They followed instructions, quick to move the product from the hidden compartments in the truck, and Krane himself handed over the money.

We were nothing but middle men.

Moving product from one fucking monster to the other.

The devil in between.

I took it.

“Good?”

He patted my shoulder like a prick. “Good.”





*



Dawn broke at the horizon. A blazing burn of golds that outlined the mountains and shot rays of pinks and oranges into the coming day.

It felt like earning a medal.

An award for making it to the end.

A race I hadn’t wanted to run.

But I knew way down deep that I’d been easy to sucker in.

Greed a concept that had been ingrained in me long ago. Going without made you that way.