Page 89 of It Destroys Me

He answered quickly. “Decided to come up for air, huh?”

I smirked at the question because our nights had burned white-hot. No amount of soreness could quench my desire. No amount of Theo could prompt fatigue. It was like an addiction, and the more I had, the more I wanted. “Just for a second.”

“Attagirl. So what can I do for you?”

“I feel so terrible for asking after everything you’ve done, but I wanted to know if you could help me with something.”

His carefree attitude disappeared. “Astrid, I’ve got your back for life. Tell me what you need.”

I’d been married to Bolton for years, and I never had this closeness with his brother. His brother tolerated me, but I never felt a sense of loyalty from him. And Theo and Axel weren’t even related. “You’re sweet.”

“He’s my boy. So, what’s up?”

“He took me to the cemetery where he buried Bolton.”

“Yeah, he mentioned that.”

“I didn’t expect Theo to honor him like that, not after what Bolton did.”

“I don’t think Theo did it for him, Astrid.”

He did it for me. “I want him to have the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want him to have his brother’s remains.”

Axel was quiet for a while. “When Theo didn’t give you up, Bolton destroyed them.”

“I know that’s what he said, but I don’t believe him.”

“Why?”

“Those bones were the best leverage he had over Theo. He wasn’t the kind of man to throw away an opportunity.”

Axel was quiet for a moment as he considered what I’d said. “Do you know where they would be if they still existed?”

“Not exactly, but I have a good idea. He took me to the Brotherhood over the years. I know my way around there for the most part. I always heard the guys talk about a morgue downstairs.”

Axel didn’t say anything.

“I doubt it’s an actual morgue, but they must have a system to label the bodies they have. Bolton said a contract was only completed when the body was delivered to the buyer. So, there’s a chance Killian is still there.”

“Beau was the one who hired that hit. He’s in Paris.”

“But Bolton said he was still in possession of the bones…unless he was lying.”

“So you want me to go in there and check?”

“No. I want you to come with me.”

Even through the phone, I could hear Axel’s unease.

“They’ll let me in. They don’t know I’m the one who…who killed him. I can say I’m there to get his things, and they won’t think anything of it.”

“And how will you explain me?”

“I can say you’re my cousin or something,” I said. “I would take Theo, but they know exactly who he is.”