Mr. Good Bad Guy

37 - Bamboozled

It didn't take me long to put two and two together.

Erik McCarthy.

Ezra Moran.

The same initials.

He was using a fake name. Of course he was. I didn't want to believe what I was seeing, but there he was, standing in front of me, wearing a suit that cost more than my entire wardrobe combined. He was even more handsome than I remembered. His dark hair was slicked back, his jaw clean-shaven. He was the type of man who would stop traffic just by walking down the street.

I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat. "What did I ever do to you?"

He laughed, the sound smooth and genuine. "Damn, you are dumb as fuck. I'm sure you could think of a few things you've done to me. But let's not worry about that. I was never that into you. The sex was good, but...you made your choice when you wanted to be with Axel. And...Isaias. I was going to spare you."

"Spare me?"

"Sweetheart, you're not just another woman to me. You were mine alone. I didn't mind you sleeping with Axel, because I knew you loved the way I made you feel more. But when you made it obvious you liked your boss...I couldn't bear to have you leave me for him. Would you have left me for him? Even if I had agreed to be with you?"

His words stung, but I couldn't help but feel a pang of something else. Something like gratitude. He'd been possessive, but he'd never been cruel. And now, here he was, offering me a way out. Maybe he was the monster everyone claimed he wasn't. Of course I'd just been too blind to see it.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to meet his eyes. "What do you want from me?"

He smiled, stepping closer. "I want you to be my girl, Irene. My girlfriend. My partner. I've been working alone for years, but now...I need someone who can keep their mouth shut. Someone who knows what it's like to be in this position. I can give you everything you've ever wanted. A new life, a new identity. A chance to start over."

I swallowed hard, my heart racing. "And if I say no?"

He shrugged, his expression unreadable. "Then I guess you'll just have to deal with the consequences."

I didn't like the sound of that, but I couldn't deny the appeal of his offer. A new life, a new identity. A chance to escape this nightmare. I took a deep breath and nodded. "No."

Ezra's expression darkened. "No?"

I tried to steel myself, but I could feel the weight of his gaze. "I can't just abandon everyone," I said, my voice shaking. "I can't leave them behind, because you want to be sure you never go to jail. Why'd you do it?"

"I want you to know that I could never hurt my friends. Parker's like a sister to me. As annoying as Randy is...Parker would kill me over letting me hurt her boyfriend. Shanice can go. Her friends can go. Jamie and Kaiya...they can stay. I like them. They're fun. Axel dies. Isaias...dies. Is there anyone else I should add to the list? Your family, perhaps?"

"You might as well just kill me," I said. "I'm not joining you, because you think I'm afraid to die. I'd rather die. If it means saving my friends and family the pain of losing each other."

Ezra laughed, stepping closer. "You think I'd actually hurt you? You're my girl, Irene. I wouldn't dare hurt you." He reached out, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. "I'm not like him. I'm not like them."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that this was all some sort of twisted game, and that once I agreed, he'd let me go. But I knew better. I didn't know the kind of man he was. I knew that there was no way out of this.