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I watched the relief wash over him as I sat in my hospital bed. And then, surprisingly—he thanked me before advising he’d take over until I’d healed from the wound and then the operation.
“Everything’s fine, Mom,” I say as I watch Elanee.
I play back and forth with the idea as to whether I should tell my mother about The Lion’s demise. I hadn’t even told her about the tumor yet because I was concerned as to how she would take the news.
Somehow, that felt minuscule compared to what we’d been through. If I could slay our demons, I was certain I could fight this asshole of a thing in my head.
“I have something to tell you,” I say somberly.
I can hear her breathing on the other side of the phone. I don’t know how to tell her. After reading his letter, I wanted to tell her I’d chased away her demons. That he was no longer haunting her. That as I watch that letter go up in flames—we were set free.
“He’s dead, isn’t he?” she whispers.
I’m surprised that she knows. Maybe it’s the tone I’d taken. Only now will he ever get this moment. This will be the last time his name leaves our lips.
“The Lion’s dead,” I confirm.
She chokes on a sob, and my jaw tics because I can’t take on her pain for her. It might spiral her into another episode, but after this… for the rest of her life, she won’t be living in fear. Or maybe she still will. But I hope it’s enough to heal even a small part of her.
I look back over to Elanee as she begins to escort her family to the door as they say their goodbyes.
“I never meant for you to fight this on your own,” My mother says, and I am surprised. Maybe she thinks the bullet wasn’t an attempted robbery at all. My mother might’ve been frail, but she wasn’t stupid.
“You protected us both by fleeing him and bringing us back home. It was my role to finish it,” I say. “For all of us.”
She quietly sobs on the phone, and I hear Katniss beside her, most likely consolidating her. I’m grateful she’s there when I’m not.
“Will you be visiting soon?” my mother asks as Elanee approaches me.
My face softens. “Yes, and this time, I have someone for you to meet. As promised.”
My mother rattles out a shaky breath as Elanee presses her hand to my face, mouthing ‘Is everything okay?’
“I look forward to seeing you both. Make sure you get plenty of rest,” she says.
“I will. I love you, Mom, and I’ll talk to you soon,” I say before hanging up.
“Your mother?” Elanee asks. “Is she okay?”
“Yeah.” I place my phone on the desk. I respect Elanee wanting to keep this from her parents. She’s most likely also doing it to protect their opinion of me since he was technically my father by blood. Not that I think her father has a very strong opinion of me because of my former playboy reputation.
“I thought I told you no drinking,” she lectures as she grabs the empty glass out of my hand. My lip curves into a smile.
It seems ironic with the amount of women I’ve slept with, and there was only ever one who left a lasting impression. Only one who I wanted to become mine.
“Sit,” I order her.
“Dmitri, I told you we’re not having sex right now,” she says, putting a hand on her hip.
“I won’t repeat myself.”
She goes to argue, but I raise an attentive eyebrow. She crosses her arms over her chest, and I walk around the side of the table and open the top drawer.
I’d bought this before I met with my father, even before he’d flown into town. The thought of ever losing her again was unfathomable, and everything I owned, I wanted her to have. So it only made sense that I made sure every other fucker knew that.
Matchmaker or not, this little brat who never believed in love was about to become mine in not only body but status as well.
I pull out the black box and wince in pain as I drop to one knee.
