It was amusing to watch Milena pace up and down the hall. Her usually collected demeanour scattered to the ether as she fretted and ranted at Marcus.

“Shouldn’t we be looking for her?” She threw her hands at him then continued her pacing.

He was sitting hunched over on one of the fold-up chairs, ignoring the whirlwind of angst that blew his way. I sat further back, trying to stay out of her way.

Marcus shook his head. “Scouring the streets isn’t going to help us find her. London has quite a few of them.”

“She has to be in the immediate vicinity, surely.”

“Not necessarily. The tube station isn’t that far away. Wallis could have driven her somewhere. We’ve no idea.”

She stopped in front of him and placed her hands on her hips. “What if she goes back to my father?”

Marcus sat back and laughed. “Then he’ll know about you.”

“Exactly. Shouldn’t that bother you?” Her voice raised an octave and hurt my ears.

“Gian finding out about you? Not particularly, I’m more concerned about what he’d do to her.”

She scowled. There was venom in her eyes. “Why would you give a fuck about that?”

He shrugged. “She’s a good girl.”

Milena’s bitching had gone from amusing to annoying. I sighed and called over to them. “She won’t go back to Gian. She’s not stupid.”

Milena sent her scowl my way. “Then what the hell will she do? Since you know her so well, now.”

I looked away. “She’ll leave.”

“Where?” Marcus’ voice was insistent.

When I looked back at him, I saw the concern on his face. “As far away as possible.”

Marcus sighed. “That doesn’t help, Aaron.”

I closed my eyes and swallowed. “Why can’t we just let her go?”

“Because it’s not fucking safe. He’ll find her.” Now I knew he was Olivia’s father, I could hear the pain behind every word he spoke of her.

“He doesn’t realise she’s gone. He’s looking for us. Chances are, she’ll be out of the country before sunset.” I tried to fight my ground, but he wouldn’t have it.

“Are you willing to take that chance?”

I didn’t answer because I didn’t know how to. The last thing I wanted was Gian to find her, but selfishly, I wanted her to disappear. I wanted that to ease my pain. It hurt too much to know she was around, and I couldn’t have her.

“We’ve got to find her and we don’t have long.” Marcus continued without my answer. “If she’s looking to leave the country. She’ll need her passport.” He looked at me with panic in his eyes. “What if she goes back to her place?”

My guts sank. “That’s where it is.”

“Aaron, what’s your bet Gian will have someone watching her place?”

“Pretty fucking likely.”

“Where does she live? Do you know?”

I nodded. “Sort of. I’ve got the GPS location on my phone.”

He turned to Milena. “Do you have her actual address?”

“I don’t know it off hand.”

“Get it. Send it to me.” He shot to his feet and headed for the exit. “Come on, Aaron. We might make it there before she does.”

I stood and ran to catch up with him.

Milena called after us. “What about me? What am I going to do?”

He shouted over his shoulder. “Get that address. Fuck off home and act like nothing’s happened.”

“How am I supposed to get home?”

“Use that conniving brain of yours. You’ll figure it out.” Marcus pushed the doors open and stormed through.

I followed him out into the alleyway and to the car. He suddenly sprinted towards it.

“The fucking driver.” He banged on the window with his fist, waking him up. “Get out.”

The driver climbed out with bleary eyes, looking nervously at Marcus.

He was livid. “Did you see her?”

The driver creased his eyes in confusion. “Who?”

“Olivia. The girl who was in the back. Did you see her leave?”

He shook his head. “I… I didn’t…”

“No, too busy fucking sleeping.” Marcus cracked him several times across his face then hauled him away from the door. “I don’t pay you to sit on your fucking arse for nothing. Now, fuck off. I’ll deal with you later.” He got behind the wheel and slammed the door shut as the driver staggered back clutching his nose.

I ran around to the passenger side and climbed in. Then glared at Marcus as he started the car. “A bit harsh, don’t you think?”

“No, I fucking don’t. If he’d been awake, he would have seen her leave.”

“And done what? Chased her?”

“No, called me. I’ve no patience for laziness.” He pulled away. Then swore, stopped the car and reversed back to the driver, winding down his window. “Oi, dickhead. Come here.”

The driver was hesitant, but walked over.

“Give me your gun.”

He unzipped his jacket and handed it over, shaking. As soon as Marcus took it, I could see the guy edging away and preparing to run.

“If I were you, I’d think of a good way to make it up to me. Your life depends on it.” He wound up the window and pulled away with enough acceleration to force me back in my seat.

I laughed at Marcus. “He won’t be sleeping again anytime soon.”

He laughed back at me as his anger faded. “Only with one eye open. Here, take that.”

I took the gun from him and turned it over in my hands. “Do I really need this?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. If Gian’s got his guys scoping her place, there’s a chance they’d spot us.”

I sighed and placed it down the side of my boot, fastening the lace to secure it. I hated guns, but I’d rather have it and not need it than the other way around.

When I sat back up, Marcus was looking at me expectantly. “Where are we headed?”

“Paddington. Head to Bayswater tube. She’s not too far from there.”

“Fucking central.”

“Yup. Just pray nothing kicks off.”

I sat back in the seat and put my head on the rest. My mind whirred over what was to come. I wasn’t worried about Gian’s boys being there, I was worried about her turning up. If she did, I’d have to take her. I’d have to look into her face and see how much she hated me. The thought alone hung heavy in my chest.

We drove for a while in silence. Marcus seemed like he was focused on driving, getting us there as fast as he could. But every time I glanced over, his jaw clenched hard enough to turn his scowl into a grimace. He was worried about Olivia, and what would happen if Gian found her before we did.

If I hadn’t got involved, none of this would have happened. She wouldn’t have betrayed Gian, she’d be safe. If I hadn’t taken her in Soho, Gian wouldn’t have found us at all. It was my fault.

Damn, I wish I’d listened to my head. I knew she would cause me nothing but pain. It was obvious. I didn’t want to believe it. She’d never be mine. That I’d lose her, regardless. In the end that’s all that ever happens. The only way to get through life is to do it alone. Life was simpler before I met her. Why couldn’t I go back to the way I was? No involvement. No pain.

Find them, break them, sell them.

I huffed. It sounded so callous now.

Marcus glanced over. “What’s up, man? You look like I’m about to kill your dog.”

I shook my head. “You were right.”

“Yeah, I’m always right. What about this time?”

“I should never have gotten involved with her.”

“Well, I tried to tell you that, but did you listen? No.”

I turned and stared out of the window, hoping he’d take the hint and shut the fuck up.

“Look. I’m not one to talk. I was involved with the wrong woman for eight years, and it ended a damn sight worse than what you’re going through.”

No such luck. “Don’t, Marcus.”

“You need to hear this, Aaron.” He paused while he pulled out at the roundabout and joined the stream of traffic. “I have my regrets. I regret how it ended, I regret not getting her out of there, I regret not fucking killing Gian in his sleep. But I don’t regret being with her. It was the best damn eight years of my life.”

I looked back. “Even after all the pain.”

He nodded. “It still hurts now. I’ll admit, there are times I breakdown over it. But the love I felt for her beats everything. I’m honoured to have known that.”

“I’ve never heard you be so sentimental.”

“It’s not the done thing is it. Don’t fucking tell anyone. I’d still kick your arse.”

I laughed. Then sighed and put my head back on the rest. “It’s too late for me now though. I’m not putting myself through this again.”

“Then you’re a fucking fool.”

I glared at him. “Your one fucked up relationship doesn’t give you the right to judge everyone else.”

He gritted his teeth and glanced over. “I’m not judging, I’m telling you. If you’re gonna throw away any chance of love, just because you feel a bit shitty now, then you’re a fucking fool.”

I sighed and turned away from him. I’d be a fool to willingly go through this. Why do people do it over and over, chasing the highs when it can bring such lows?

“I asked you before, and I’m gonna ask you again. Do you love her?”

The pain wrenched my heart enough to know the answer this time. “Yes.”

“Then you chase her and go after that feeling with everything you have.”

“You told me to stay away from her.”

“Yeah, as always, I was trying to protect my daughter. Turns out, my protection fucks everything up. I’m seeing she doesn’t need my interfering.”

“She doesn’t need me.”

“Maybe not, but she wants you and you want her. Make it happen.”

I scoffed. “It’s not that easy.”

“It never is. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy.”

“She doesn’t want me. She certainly doesn’t love me. What am I supposed to do?”

He laughed. “You’ve a lot to learn, boy. Of course she fucking loves you. Are you blind or just stupid?”

“She said she hated me. You were there, you heard it.”

He sighed and shook his head. “What she says, what she feels at that point, and what she really feels in her heart, are all completely different things. She’s hurting, she’s confused. I’m partly to blame for that.”

“Partly?”

“Okay, a lot.” He rolled his eyes. “But none of that means she doesn’t love you. Hell, you can see it written on her face.”

It didn’t convince me. The pain in her eyes when she looked at me at the club will haunt me forever. How could she possibly love me and look at me that way?

We drove past a sign for Paddington Station. I pulled out my phone, loaded the clone and brought up the GPS history. It looked like we were only a few streets away. “Keep straight, then take the… third left.”

“Are you sure?”

“That’s what it looks like.”

We turned into a side street. There was a small gated park to our left, and a five story high row of white terraces to our right. Her place could be in a few of them.

“Which one is it?”

“It looks halfway down. Has Milena sent you her address?”

“I haven’t heard my phone.”

There was a space coming up next to the park. “Pull in here. We can see most of the street.”

“Most of the street can see us, too.”

“It’s central London, think yourself lucky we got this.”

Marcus parked up and turned off the engine. Then checked his phone. “Milena hasn’t sent anything.”

“Just keep your eye on the buildings. We should be able to see her if she turns up.”

I settled myself in for the wait. We could be here a while. Looking across at the buildings, I scanned each of the doorways. Eight of them, one per house. She’d most likely live in the fourth or fifth, third or sixth at a push. With this type of building, they only usually had one main entrance on the front, and they were all exposed. It made me question if Olivia would come back here at all. She’d know it’d be risky.

Turning my attention to the park next to us, I glanced through the sparse trees and at the rows of cars lining the streets surrounding it. Most of the parking spaces were taken, but the streets were quiet. Not many places for someone to hide. If Gian’s boys were around they’d be in one of the cars. They all looked empty, but I couldn’t be sure.

I scanned the doors again. Then caught Marcus staring at me. “What?”

“What are you going to do?”

“About what?”

“Olivia.”

“We’ve got to fucking find her first.”

“When we do?”

I shrugged my shoulders as I glanced down and fidgeted with my nails. “What do you think I should do?”

“Fight for her. Show her you love her. Prove it.”

“How?”

He laughed. “That’s something you’ll have to figure out for yourself.”

“Thanks for the help. So, you want me to be with her now?”

He smiled. “She’s my daughter. Do I want your hands all over her? No. I know what shit you like to get up to.”

I laughed and avoided his eyes.

“But I’d rather it be you than anyone else.”

I nodded and looked away as movement from the fifth door caught my eyes. A sweet looking young woman with strawberry blonde hair walked out carrying a rucksack. I recognised her.

Hitting Marcus on the shoulder, I pointed at her. “That’s Alice.

“Who the fuck is Alice?”

“Her best friend.” I shook my head. “What do we do?”

“We’re looking for Olivia.”

“Yeah, noted. But what if Olivia has been in contact with her? Think about it. It’s too risky for Olivia to come here, but…”

“She could get Alice to go to her. Fuck.”

“I’m gonna follow her.”

“What if Olivia comes here?”

“Then you stay here and wait.”

Marcus’ face dropped as he looked over my shoulder. I heard the tap of metal on glass behind and my stomach lurched. “Gian’s boys?”

He closed his eyes and nodded.

Fuck. I turned to see the barrel of a gun pointing at me through the glass.