Sitting quietly at the bar, I hold my hand up for a moment to call the blonde, pretty bartender over. She quickly runs over and takes my empty glass, refilling it without another word. No matter how pretty she is, she is nothing on the woman I am waiting to see. Elliot's club in town is the local hot spot during the day for business meetings and a relaxing atmosphere for a drink at night. I know that Elliot has opened three more very successful bars with Allie over the years, and they definitely have an eye for what makes a club popular. I pick up my full whiskey tumbler and take a sip before looking around the room once more, hoping to see Emilia turn up. She isn't here, and I don't know why I actually expected her to come. She is the mayor's fucking wife. Emilia can't be seen in a place like this.

"You remember my drink," Emilia shocks me by remarking, placing her hand on my arm as she slides into the stool next to me, where her martini is waiting for her.

"I remember everything about the times we were together," I reply, knowing how crazy that sounds. "You’re what I thought of when times were rough. Our every moment together, our every kiss. I keep those memories safe, like a drug to block out everything else."

"Luke...what did he make you do all these years?" she asks, her eyes vulnerable as she looks at me. This is the question I don't want to answer.

"Anything Arthur asked, I would do," I admit to her. The memories I can usually push away, pretend they didn’t happen. Nightmares? Yeah, that’s when they come back to haunt me. I don’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep. I chose to be the person I am, to do the things I’ve done, and I will live with the price of that.

"How many people did you kill?" she asks, and I wish I could remember.

"I lost count," I reply, and she doesn’t seem too shocked, whereas I feel more than a bit tense answering any more questions.

"How many women did you sleep with?" she asks next, sipping on her drink and pretending like the answer doesn’t matter to her.

"You don't want that answer," I reply.

"You scare me, Luke. You know that?" she says, which makes her a fool.

"You should be scared, Emilia. You should run the hell away from me because I will never stop fighting for you. I can't. Every time I did something because I had to, I thought of you. You are mine, Emilia," I firmly state.

"I won't run," she whispers, leaning closer and placing her hand over mine. "Every part of me tells me to run away, but my heart? My heart knows it's yours."

"Emilia," I warn. I want what is best for her, and I don’t think that is me.

"I did bad things, too. It's not just you that he has fucked up," she says. "I married and slept with Eric once because Arthur demanded it. I've stripped on that stage for years, losing a bit of myself each time. I just want it all to be for something. For us."

"It is," I say, linking my fingers with hers. "I promise, he will pay for everything, and we will both be free. This is not for nothing."

"Can I have a word?" A man asks, and Emilia quickly pulls her hand from mine as we turn to see her brother standing behind us. Dale looks nothing like his sister, so much that I wouldn’t think they were even related at first glance.

"Dale, right?" I say, offering him a hand to shake. Dale shakes my hand, looking between me and Emilia before letting go, and crossing his arms.

"No wonder Parker doesn't look a thing like that dickhead of a husband of yours," Dale mutters. "He is the image of you both."

"Good guess," I reply. "What do you want?"

"The fight...it’s for a reason. Isn't it?" he asks, and I run my eyes over Emilia, who is clearly worried.

"Luke won't kill you...we’ll figure it out," Emilia says before I can reply.

"Emilia, I have to finish this, and the only way to get Arthur to trust me is to do this," I tell her, reaching for her hand, but she pushes me away. “I’ve never let him down, I’ve always done what he asks, and he will instantly distrust me if I don’t kill him.”

"You are going to kill him? My brother?" she asks, looking more than betrayed and it breaks my heart that I can't change this.

"I don't want to do it, but I have no choice," I reply.

"You always have a choice!" she shouts, drawing a lot of attention towards us.

"What part of the last five years, in fact, my whole life, do you think was my choice, Emilia?" I shout right back, standing up off my chair. "I don't have a choice."

"If that’s the case, then you do it," Dale says, giving me one fixed glance before turning away.

"No!" Emilia shouts, grabbing Dale's arm and stopping him before he walks off.

"I want it all over, and I know he can do that. I'm going to spend my last week having fun," Dale tells her, nodding once at me before he walks away, leaving us. I stare at Emilia, waiting for her to say anything, to even look at me. When she finally lifts her head, I almost wish she hadn't because of the hurt in her eyes. I never wanted to hurt her.

"I will hate you if you do this," she angrily growls, pointing a finger into my chest. "Don't you dare kill my brother like he is nothing, Luke."

"Hate me then. Your brother is the key to the destruction of The Cage. He has to die, and he isn’t nothing. Don’t you think I know that?" I say, and she doesn't say another word before she walks away. I almost want her to shout at me because it's sure damn easier than watching her walk away, heartbroken.