Page 106 of Under Control

“Are you okay?” I ask her, going to her side.

“All things considered,” she says, smiling weakly. “You just killed my doctor though.”

“Don’t worry. We have a better one.” She’s connected to the bed with handcuffs, and I have my lock-picker take care of those. Once she’s free, she rubs her wrists but doesn’t try to get up. I doubt she could walk if she tried.

“All dead,” one of my soldiers reports as he enters the room. “Anton says it’s clear downstairs.”

“Get everything ready,” I tell him and kneel down at Miriam’s side. I take her hand and it’s so damn thin. She looks at me with a mixture of worry and fear, and I don’t blame her.

“I see your father every time I look at you,” she whispers in the night.

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t know.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I never told Karine. When did you find out?”

“Not too long ago.”

“How did she take it?”

“Better than I would’ve expected.”

“That’s good.” She sighs, leaning back against the pillows. “It was so hard on my husband. He held on to a lot of anger and hate over the years. I think he fantasized about killing you for what your father did to me, and it didn’t help that we ended up in your city.”

“I’m glad he didn’t try.”

“He was a big softie, but I’m glad he didn’t try too.” She peeks at me, and her face hardens. “You’re serious about my daughter, aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am.”

“And you really aren’t like your father?”

“I will die before I ever hurt Karine.” I mean it too. I’d rather cut off my own hand than ever lay a finger on her in a way she doesn’t like.

“I believe you.”

That’s enough for me. I touch her hand and she nods at me with a pained smile. I stand and walk away as my men take over, gently transitioning her into a wheelchair. I can tell she’s in a lot of pain, but she doesn’t make much noise as we carry her down the steps and push her out to the waiting cars.

A doctor’s in the back of the van. The same doctor as before.

“Quieter this time,” he mutters to me as we get Miriam loaded in the back.

Chapter 40

Karine

Ican’t bring myself to leave my mother’s side. Even though she’s asleep again and made it clear that I don’t need to hang around, I still won’t leave her.

She’s been through so much, and a lot of it was my fault.

But she’s back now just like Valentin promised. When he wheeled her into the mansion early this morning, that was the happiest moment of my life. I cried like a big, joyous baby, and clung onto her hand like I’d never get to see her again.

“How’s she doing?” Valentin asks later that day. I know he’s been busy with the war. From what I heard, Arsen called and said his father was livid about what happened with Miriam.

“It’s hard to tell. She doesn’t want to complain, but she’s exhausted from the trip down here, and she’s still in a lot of pain.”

“The doctor will help manage that. She won’t leave my sight again, I can promise you that. I’ll make sure she has the best care possible right here at home.”

“Thank you, Valentin. You don’t know how much that means to me.”

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