Page 178 of Merciless Daddy

When the clock reached ten minutes, I stood.

“Time.”

Yelena did not move.

Her head remained bowed. Her hands hung at her sides. The wall in front of her had become the only thing she could look at without letting me see her face.

I went to her. Not from across the room. Not with an order. I walked until I stood beside her, then lowered myself to my knees on the floor.

“Little one.”

Her mouth tightened.

“Turn around for me.”

She did.

Her face was wet. She had tried to wipe the tears away, but there were too many. Her eyes looked furious at herself for making them.

I took both her hands.

“Come here.”

She folded toward me before I could pull her. Her forehead hit my shoulder. Her arms closed around my neck. I held her on the floor.

No hurry. No lecture.

Just her shaking against me while I put one hand between her shoulder blades and the other at the back of her head. When her breathing had slowed enough for words, I leaned back.

“I need three truthful sentences,” I said.

She looked miserable.

“Only three?”

“Only three.”

Her fingers twisted in mine.

“I’m overwhelmed,” she said first.

“Good.”

“I feel responsible.”

“I know.”

Her breath broke.

“I want to go back because I’m afraid it would work.”

I held her gaze.

The honesty hurt. It was meant to. Not as punishment. As truth.

“You think Gianni would stop hurting people if he had you?”

“I think he would stop hurting your people,” she whispered. “For a while.”