Page 33 of Gilded Kisses

“What? I’m not running.” Where the hell would I even go?

A bullet pings off the side of a car, narrowly missing me and I drop to my knees. “Where are all these assholes coming from? You drop one, more spring up!”

I am moved to Cassius’ Ghost and shoved into the back seat. A driver is in the front looking like he sits through shootouts all the time.

Harlon comes over and Santi covers his back, popping off a few rounds toward Joseph, who uses my father’s Jaguar as a shield.

Harlon grabs my chin. “Listen up. The Romanov family isn’t going to take nicely to this slight from us. They like to kill what they can’t have and this isn’t the first time they’ve wanted a Constantine.”

It hits me. “The Romanov father and my mother?”

Harlon nods. “He lost her to your father after a game of cards, and now he wants you for his son.”

“Sick.”

“They have deep pockets and friends in low places. This is why you need to leave. Find your godfathers and go to them. They are about the only ones I can trust with your life.”

“No,” I say flatly and the pain burrowing into my chest slams harshly against the shields I’ve built around my heart.

Harlon is already speaking over me before I can tell him to think up a better plan because I am not going to them.

“I’ve already called.”

“They aren’t even in the country.”

Harlon leans over me and fastens my seatbelt. He turns to the driver. “Take her to our private hangar and see to it she gets on the fucking plane.”

“They will turn me away the second I get there.”

Harlon turns his face into mine and deadpans, “Make sure they don’t.”

“No,” I blurt out, shaking my head furiously. I fumble with the release of my seatbelt, but the damn thing won’t release.

“I’m sorry it’s come to this. I am. I should have never let you work at the club, but what is done is done.”

“The club had nothing to do with this. My father hates me and I’m the pawn in the middle.”

“He does and he will pay for his crimes against you. I’m sorry i didn’t step in sooner.”

“You know?”

It suddenly clicks, and I change course. “You knew this was gonna happen, didn’t you?”

“Romanov? I did. I might have let it happen to draw the Romanov elder out of hiding. Yes.”

“You used me? You put me on display as the club greeter knowing the history between the Romanovs and our family? You knew they would want a war.”

“I knew it when Joseph couldn’t get you to take him up on his lovely offers. It was just a matter of time. I thought they would come for the club. But they came here instead.”

“I can’t believe you.”

He gives a small shrug that says a lot. “I keep a lot of secrets in case you forgot.”

He’s talking about my addiction to my godfathers and the fact he helped me find them when they didn’t want to be found. He didn’t know the depths of why or all the story. He didn’t ask a lot of questions, so I didn't offer answers.

Apparently he didn’t ask because he already knew.

“When this is over, I’m coming for you. Blood or not, Harlon.”

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