Page 176 of Hidden Empire

“I’ll be back.”

This ends tonight.

All of it.

Chapter 49

Jade

It’s true what they say about a calm coming before storms.

Pressure surrounds my arms, a slight but easily noticed sensation despite my drowsy state. I’m bathing in darkness, too far from a waking reality to recognize what’s happening. Until his voice floats into my ear, a gentle but firm sound.

“Jade,” Dmitri’s concerned voice wakes me from a deep sleep.

“No,” I groan, pouting. As my body starts to rouse, I realize it’s his hands that are on my arms, slightly shaking me to wake me up. Trying to pull me out of bed before my eyes are open is a Matteo thing, so I’m slightly alarmed that Dmitri is trying to do it.

Large hands cup the sides of my face, and Dmitri’s tone deepens. “You need to get up, I’m putting you in the safe room.”

Any grogginess from being woken up so suddenly vanishes, and I let my husband pull me out of bed. “What’s happening?” I ask, automatically moving to cradle my stomach as a rush of anxiety spills over me.

“Karina is here,” he growls quietly, helping me put on my sneakers. It feels so strange without socks, but I don’t think there’s time to grab any.

“S-she is?” Terror crawls up my back, icy and unwelcome.

I shouldn’t be scared of her. I should know Dmitri and my family will keep me safe, but the kind of fear that Karina and Bruce instilled in me doesn’t just disappear. It lingers and festers, only growing stronger the longer you’re away from it. I might never feel entirely safe, not while they’re still alive.

Dmitri’s reply is swift. “Yes, she was found on the outskirts of the property, we have her bound downstairs, but we don’t know if this is a trap?—”

“Wait,” I rush out before he can take me into Apollo’s room and toss me into safety. “I have to see her.”

“No,” he responds immediately. “That’s exactly what she wants, Jade.”

“I have to,” I croak, voice breaking. “My mom?—”

“Jade, you’re going to be a mom,” he states firmly, eyes blazing at my hands covering my bump. “She’s dangerous, and I don’t want her anywhere near you.”

I don’t want her anywhere near me either, but will I ever get the answers I need if I run away and hide? Will I ever truly know what happened to my real mom?

“You won’t let her touch me,” I insist, trying to steady my breathing. If my husband thinks I’m panicking too much, he won’t listen to me at all. For my own good and for his sanity. “I’ll have you and Ivan, and if things go south, you can put me in the safe room. I won’t fight it, I swear.” It’s a genuine promise. I may have learned to lie, but I won’t use any of my deception skills on the man I love more than life itself.

Dmitri hesitates, and I get it, I really do. There’s a huge part of me that wants to run and hide, making sure that nothing can get to me or our babies. The broken girl inside of me deserves closure, and if I can’t even give her a chance at it, I’m betraying a piece of myself.

“At the first sign of trouble, I’m picking you up and running you to safety,” he warns, voice hard with caution. “The first sign.”

“Of course,” I agree, squeezing his hand in mine. “Thank you, you don’t know how much it means to me that you take what I want into consideration, I?—”

“Never. You never need to thank me,” he finishes. “You’re my wife, Jade. My person.”

Despite the urge to rush down to where the conflict is, I hug him, crushing my body against his to show him how much he means to me. His embrace fuels me, giving me a boost of confidence that I couldn’t possess without him. It’s fast, but it makes all of the difference. Straightening my spine, we pull apart and meet each other’s eyes.

Without another word needed, we’re off, hurrying down the stairs.

The first thing I see is bodies.

All of my brothers, save for Leon and Emilio, who are with their families far away, are surrounding a tied-up Karina, watching her like hawks. She looks just like I remembered but skinnier. Her cheeks are hollowed in, and her eyes look red-rimmed, maybe even bloodshot. Life on the run hasn’t been kind to Karina Donovan.

Good.

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