𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 // 𝐇.𝐒.

57!

Chapter 57

I've never felt so warm on a rooftop without an open fire before. In his arms, underneath the starless sky, I've barely even shivered. I don't know how long we've been up here—time freezes whenever I'm with him.

I begin to wish we can stay like this forever, but then I think it might be too much of a wish to ask for.

"I'm gonna try again," Harry breaks the serenity between us when he lifts the phone off his stomach. As he attempts to get ahold of Finny for the fourth time while we've been up here, he has no luck.

"Maybe he's busy," I try to assure when I see Harry frown.

"So much for being there," Harry then mumbles, scoffing after tucking the small phone back into his pocket. 

I hug his body when there's frustration in his tone. "We can try again tomorrow," I suggest. "It's late with... you know, time zones."

He sighs but then whispers, "That's true... What are we going to do next?"

"Eileen said to wait around," I answer him. "She also said that she would try getting my mom some protection... but to wait."

He's quiet again.

I raise my chin for the chance to look up at him. "What do you think we should do next?"

With a tight jaw and eyes of unsureness, he ends up shrugging. "I don't like our options."

"Which are?"

"Option one would be running away together, but we both know it would eat you alive to think Dante might kill your mom while we're gone. And seeing you that way would only eat me alive. Option two, we stick around and wait, but what if they don't end up protecting her? We'd be wasting time, don't you think so?" He sighs as I watch him think our options through.

"Yeah. Those options suck."

"I have another option."

"Yeah? What is it?" I ask. If I wasn't too comfortable and warm, I would have shifted in place to press kisses on his cheek just because I feel like it.

"I go kill Dante myself and put an end to all of it."

"No," I'm quick to respond. "Harry, no. That's suicide."

We sit up together and when I'm not lucky enough to be in his arms anymore, I shake from the cold. He then says, "That's always been the plan, Jo. For years, I planned to kill him for all the shit—" He pauses, taking a moment to himself as he then hugs at his knees. "Jo, he's made me do some terrible things. I wouldn't be surprised if I've killed the loved ones of all those Angelos in that safehouse down there. When Dante said to wipe them out, I did."

There's an ache in my chest when it pains me to hear him so devastated.

"My plan has always been to kill Dante, let the Angelos deal with the Infernos, and when the cartel comes for my head for killing their most powerful leader... take off with that money we have. I can do it but—"

"But what?" I whisper as I hug myself tight.

"I can't risk the cartel knowing about you. They would— Point is, I can't risk you. If I kill Dante, I'd have to leave without you in case they hunt me down."

As if I'd just been punched in the chest, a cloud of smoke elicits off my huff. "Well, then that option is off the table, right?"

When he doesn't say anything, I begin to feel hurt—maybe angry. I can't tell when I'm trembling uncontrollably from the cold. "Harry," I say his name.