Page 142 of Hidden Empire

Before I can add more, Jade’s tear-stained face is in front of me, and her arms are shooting around my neck. I pull her close, cupping the back of her head with one hand and wrapping my other arm around her back.

“Hey, shhh,” I whisper gently, trying to keep her calm. “Everything’s okay, baby. Just breathe, I’ve got you.”

“I was s-so scared,” she cries, trying to pull me closer, removing any space left between us. She’d claw her way under my skin if she could, and I’d let her.

“We don’t have much time,” her brother warns, and I nod.

Petting her hair, I press a hard kiss to her head. “Can you listen for me, love? Remember how I taught you to control your reactions, hmm? I need you to breathe.”

Trembling, she exhales. “O-okay.”

“They couldn’t have hurt me, I’m fine, everything is fine.” Fuck, this is so hard. “But I need you to be strong for me, okay? You have to go?—”

“No!”

“You have to go with Apollo, baby,” I tell her, only for her to cry harder. “I have to handle this threat, and I can’t have you with me while I do.”

She shudders and holds me tighter. “No.”

Shit, my heart hammers a painful beat. “Ivan will go with you, Krasotka. You will be strong, and I will come to you soon, yes?”

“N-no way,” she cries, shaking in my arms. “I won’t go.”

“You will,” I argue, pushing another fierce kiss against the top of her head. My body tightens around her, keeping her close as she tries to control her sobs. “You’ll go, and you’ll be safe.”

“I don’t w-want to,” my Jade protests, clinging to me like her life depends on our connection. “I can’t?—”

“You can,” I correct her firmly, I cup her crumpled face in my hands and lift her eyes to mine. “You will.”

More tears roll down her cheeks, hitting my fingers.

“You need to control your emotions like I’ve shown you,” I tell her, voice dripping with urgency. I’ve been coaching Jade in the skills needed to remain calm under pressure for a few weeks, and it hasn’t been easy for her, but she’s learning. “It is hard, but I need you to do this for me. For the babies.”

She gasps and looks down at her stomach so fast she nearly smacks her head against my chin. “Oh god, do you think they’re okay? Am I h-hurting them?”

“They’re okay.” I know they are. “You’re not hurting them, but your stress is not good for their growth. Ivan and your family will keep you safe, but you need to keep them safe. Understand?”

Her nod is shaky as she lets out a wobbled breath.

“I don’t want to leave you.” Jade’s confession is a whispered one.

“You’re not leaving me,” I assure her. “There are going to be times in our lives when I can’t have you near me for your safety and for my sanity. If I didn’t know you were one hundred percent safe, I couldn’t function, yes?”

“I can’t function if you’re not safe either,” she protests, frowning as her tears begin to dry.

“Sorry, love,” I say, lifting her chin. “But you’ll function just fine because Ivan will make sure of it.”

A warning siren bellows, and I withhold a groan. If Jade knows I’m as miserable as she is about this, it’ll only make it harder for her.

“It’s time.”

Two words have her wrapped around me tighter than ever before. Jade hugs me so hard, shaking against my frame.

“Ivan,” I mutter, grabbing my little brother by his arm. “Take her.”

“No,” Jade whines.

Calming her down was no use, Ivan and Apollo are going to have to do it again on the plane.

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