Page 13 of Guarding Fable

With that pleasant thought, I drift off to sleep.

6

Fable

Iwake up the next morning wrapped around Leo. It’s embarrassing, and I’m glad he’s sleeping, so he doesn’t see my blush. I didn’t even hear him join me in bed, and I have a feeling this is the longest I’ve slept in a really long time. I don’t know why.

I slip out of bed and tiptoe into the bathroom. After taking care of everything in there, I pad quietly through the bedroom, only tossing a glance at Leo in bed. He’s still snoozing away, so I hurry out to the living room, closing the door quietly.

I know how to make coffee, so I start that up as I try my best to be quiet. I think it comes naturally to me. At least, that’s what Destiny always says.

I’m the loud twin because I was first.

The breath in my lungs seems to stall, and I can’t take a breath.

Destiny. My twin. My protector.

My memories come rushing back to me, our lives in that horrible house, the two of us making plans to get out and away, then the word that I was to marry that dreadful man. My father is a made man in the Russian mob, and he wanted to sell me off to Delano.

“Fable?” Leo says, his arms coming around me. I was so lost in my memories that I didn’t even hear him. I lean into hiswarmth. “Why are you crying, Angel?”

I shake my head and open my mouth to say that I’m not crying, but that’s when I realize my cheeks are damp. I rub them away in embarrassment.

“I remembered,” I say, my voice barely loud enough for even me to hear.

His arms squeeze me tighter, then he releases me enough so I can face him.

“What did you remember?”

He’s watching me with concern, and I don’t blame him. I’m standing here crying like a flipping baby. And worse, I have to tell him I’m a mob boss’ daughter. I’m sure that’s going to go over well.

“No matter what it is, we’ll figure it out.”

He seems so sure of himself, but he doesn’t know my family. He guides me to the couch, then settles me on his lap.

“Tell me. It can’t be that bad.”

I look down at my fingers. They’re tangled together as I try to come up with words to explain my situation. It is almost impossible. Beyond that, I’m embarrassed. Leo seems to come from good beginnings and serving his country and now his hometown…my family just sucks. Except Destiny.

“Come on, Angel,” he coaxes.

I draw in a deep breath and release it slowly before looking up at him.

“My father is Mikel Petrov.”

His eyebrows wing downward. “I know that name. Why do I know that name?”

I sigh, knowing that this will forever change everything. “My father is a Russian mob boss.”

There’s a beat of silence. “That’s why you ran?”

Another sigh escapes, and my gaze goes back to my hands. God, how do you admit your father sold you off without sounding like a complete loser? There is no way. I will foreverbe branded as a horrible person because of my father.

He slips his fingers beneath my chin and gently urges me to look at him. “No matter what you tell me, it will not change the way I think about you.”

“You don’t know that, but I guess it can’t be helped. My father agreed to have me marry Tony Delano.”

He frowns. “I definitely know that name. How could your father do that? The man is scum.”

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