Page 43 of Crimson Tears

“She got spooked. Give her an hour or so and she will be fine.” I lean back on the counter and cross my arms over my chest.

“How do you know that?”

This man looks like a hot mess right now, beyond confused over what happened. Which is hilarious because he started it. I thought for sure I would have to convince him this was a good idea. But he surprised me and came up with it all on his own.

Oh my feck. He doesn’t plan on this being a long term thing. I can see it in his eyes as he stares at the door.

What did he think would happen here? That I would simply get her out of my system once I got a taste?Sorry about this one,Old Man.

Now I have even more of a reason to fight for this.

“I know her better than you might think. Maybe even better than you.”

That gets his attention, his icy glare trained on me. I meet him with one of my own, daring him to say it isn’t true. I know what makes her laugh. I know that I have to cover her eyes while driving if there is a dead animal on the side of the road because just the sight hurts her heart. And I also know that she loves every fecking second of our attention on her.

“What was your plan here, Old Man? Give her an idea of what could have been and then rip it out from under her nosebefore she had the time to get off the counter. That’s what she’s thinking, and it’s why she ran out.”

I put my hands in my leather jacket, standing to my full height. He keeps looking at me as if he wants to kill me and hug me at the same time.

It’s freaking me the fuck out.

“Boris.” My voice is sharp, sharper than I have ever used with him. Blue eyes snap to mine. “What. Was. Your. Plan?”

He runs a hand through his hair, looking back at the door and then to me. When they settle on the ground with a sigh, I realize that he had no plan. Which isn’t like him.

This is a man I’m sure has a timer on how long he can take a shite in order to ensure his day is as productive as possible.

“I do not know,” he admits quietly.

I close my eyes, internally shaking my head. This man needs to loosen up and relax a little. I’ve seen him do it with Nessa, so why can’t he figure out how to do the same for himself?

When my lashes flutter open, that same lost look is on Boris’ face and I decide,like the dashing hero I am, to extend an olive branch.

“Do you need a ride?”

That question at least gets his brain back online. “I drove.”

“Five hundred bucks says she left with your car,” I say with a smirk.

His phone dings and he pulls it out of his pocket, taking a very deep breath when he reads the message.

“Let’s go,” he says, shaking his head and pulling the bathroom door open a little too aggressively.

Catching up with him easily, I place my hands back in my pockets as we walk side by side. One thing I have come to appreciate about this man is that, while it is clear he likes nice things, he seems to have no problem with those around him who don’t.

Hence, why I feel totally at ease in my black leather jacket, ripped black jeans, and laced up combat boots while he trudges along at my side in his perfectly tailored three-piece suit.

Hmm, maybe the old man is growing on me.

Don’t you dare say I told you so.

As we walk outside, I direct him around to the back of the theater. Some people are fine with using the valet. I, however, do not want another soul touching my car. It’s not the most expensive car, but it’s my baby and one of the only things that has stayed with me for the past two years while I’ve stayed hidden.

I paid one of the people at the venue to keep an eye on it while I went inside.

Okay, so I might have threatened them with a gun and pretended I knew who their family was in order to make sure they kept my baby safe, but I did give him money too. I’m not all bad.

And there he is, standing guard like the perfect puppet. I wave at him as I click the unlock button on the key, causing him to startle when the lights flash and the engine roars to life.

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