𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 // 𝐇.𝐒.

63.

Chapter 63

The day is over. Everyone is asleep but us. I sit at a table in the empty dining hall with Harry and my leg hasn't stopped bouncing.

"The table is shaking," Harry points out as he sits across from me.

I stop my leg. "Sorry," I whisper.

He only smiles lightly when he asks, "Nervous?"

"More like, worried."

"They're going to bring your dad in safely, my Elle. He's probably already been picked up and on his way."

I nod as Harry assures me he'll be fine. I sent Paco to pick up my dad from the airport, but it didn't stop me from thinking the worst could happen within the ride here.

"I've been meaning to ask," he quietly begins. "How'd your talk go with Eileen? Other than her telling you she won't say anything about me. Is she good?"

I look at him from across the table and I shrug. "She's just really scared, I think. She told me she doesn't trust you."

"I don't blame her," he then mumbles.

I rub my tired eyes. My eyelids must be puffy from all the crying I've done today. With a sigh, I then fold my hands above the table. "I don't know... I tried to tell her that you would never tell Dante or anyone else about this safe house." I then look at him when I remember something Eileen had said. "Did you know about the one he set on fire?"

Slowly, he nods.

"You never told me?"

"It was years ago. It was before I was an Inferno. The only reason I found out about what he'd done is because the sick fuck bragged about it. I just considered it one of the many fucked up things he'd done. I guess that's why I never brought it up."

I look down at my hands as I can imagine Dante doing something as gruesome as that. It makes me want to cry at the thought of this safe house with all these children in it being destroyed.

"We need to talk about the Zayn thing again," he says to grab my attention. "He could know where your mum is. Let me talk to him."

"Harry," I whisper his name since we're all alone. "I mean it when I say I don't want to get him involved."

"He's already involved," Harry presses. "He's already lying to Dante, remember? We're not in New York."

I lick my lips. "Even if I let you talk to Zayn, how? Isn't a phone call too risky? Going outside is also risky."

"Yeah, he used to monitor my phone calls all the time. Probably doing the same to Zayn." He taps his nails along the metal table, creating more scratches along the surface. "We could meet him somewhere, but keep it discreet and have the Angelos as a lookout."

"And what would we tell the Angelos? They don't know you're an inferno going to meet another inferno," I say, but really softly and under my breath.

"They won't question it if you make it an order," he points out. "You're their boss now."

"No, I'm not," I mumble in denial again. "I don't know, Harry. It's way too risky. It's not worth his safety or yours."

"But what about your mum's? Angel, trust me..."

"And I do. I trust you more than anything," I say to him. "but I can't agree to something like that unless—"

"Unless?"

I swallow when I don't know how he'll take my suggestion. "Unless we give Zayn and Sutton the money—the safety net we took and aren't using. Maybe they can run away together and be happy. It's what they deserve."