AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wait,”I barked as the elevator doors opened to my apartment.
Anna just turned, already halfway out of the elevator, and her brows rose as she stepped to the side. “Okay.”
I gave her a smile and strode forward. “Leale!” I called.
The big lug heaved himself up from his lambswool-cushioned bed against the window and gave a shake, stretching and yawning.
“Look who’s come to stay with us,” I urged, hating myself just a little fucking more.
“Leale,” Anna called. “Come here, boy!”
He strode forward, walking painfully slow, and lifted his gaze to mine as if to saymake up your mind, will you?I gave a jerk of my head toward her and muttered, “Just do your fucking duty.”
The padding of paws slipped behind me, a groan of affection came from Anna a moment later. “Hey, there,” she murmured. I didn’t need to look to know she had her arms wrapped around his neck and was hugging him fiercely.I was counting on it.
I strode to the bedroom, dropped her suitcase on the bed, and watched a shirt slip free of the partially open zipper. Moving fast, I strode toward the island in the kitchen. My gaze moved to the spread of photographs, ones I had printed only hours before…ones I'd showed Pavlov as I gave him instructions. My gut clenched as I swiped my hand across the slick surface, gathering them all in one sweep, and strode toward the office.
“Everything okay?” Anna called.
“Fine, just putting away dirty underwear,” I lied.
Because it came so fucking natural.
I strode through the doorway of the office and turned to the small safe embedded in the wall. One press of my thumb, and the lock released, leaving me to yank the door open and shove the black and white surveillance images inside.
“Must be pretty bad,” she murmured from the doorway as I pushed the door closed and twisted the lock. “If you have to lock them in the safe.”
I forced a chuckle and shook my head. “Busted.”
Her gaze moved to the safe behind me as I stepped toward her, grabbing her hand to lead her away. “How about we get you cleaned up and into some fresh clothes, and I can take a look at what that bastard did to you?”
She didn’t move at first, her focus firmly fixed on the safe filled with my secrets. Secrets that would ruin her…secrets that would ruinus.Then she finally gave in, allowing me to lead her from the office, past the open shutters, and into the expansive bedroom.
The island glittered tonight. Stars sparkled through the panoramic windows as I led her into our room…our room.Something trembled in my chest at the words. “A warm shower, then fresh clothes.”
She just looked down at her shirt, pain slashing across her face. “He ruined your shirt.”
“I have a hundred more for you to wear,” I answered, pulling her into my arms. “If need be, I’ll buy the entire fucking brand.”
But it was more than the shirt, and more than the cost to replace it. I saw the flare of pain as she clenched her jaw. Fire blazed inside her, one that wouldn’t be quenched in a hurry. “It’s okay,” she whispered, stepping away from my hold, and headed for the bathroom. “You won’t need to buy anymore.”
The words were ominous. Still, I started to follow, taking a step.
“I’m okay, Fin,” she said, stopping me in my tracks.
But I couldn’t help but linger in the damn doorway as she turned her back, easing the shirt along one arm, then the other, before tugging it over her head. The faint beginnings of a bruise along her side made me let out a savage sound.
She stilled, then slowly turned, revealing the darkening mark inch by inch. I couldn’t look at it, couldn’t look at her, not the perfect span of her belly, or the gorgeous tilt of her breasts. I couldn’t look at her without wanting to put a bullet through Zakharov’s head once and for fucking all.
So I turned, leaving her to shower in peace without me hovering like a fucking idiot. Instead, I did what I did best. I fucked things up a little more and grabbed my phone, sending a message to Pavlov.Status update.
Pavlov: Target acquired. Waiting to make contact.
Waiting to make contact. Any moment now…any goddamn moment. The hiss of the shower drew my attention. I rounded the island and opened the refrigerator. Was she hungry? Thirsty? Did she need…chocolate and a damn movie? Did she want me to talk to her…or pretend none of this happened?
I raked my fingers through my hair as my thoughts collided. What the fuck was I doing? I didn’t know how to help someone like Anna. I didn’t know a fucking thing about taking care of her needs. I thought of Mom, and all the times I'd found her alone, quiet, with fresh tears in her eyes. I knew about the other women he had, knew about the whores, too. I knew all about his fetish to inflict pain.
Sometimes, being the first son was staring into the eyes of the monster you’d eventually become and hating yourself even more. A quiet stillness came over me at the thought, like the heavy weight I’d been fighting all this time finally settled.Click, click, click.Locks engaged as aknowing was born inside me,one that made something deep inside me squirm with unease. But that chilling stillness hunted it down, strangling the worry with a savage grip.
