Page 21 of Crimson Flames

Who the heck are these people?

Shaking my head, I head to the elevators when a familiar set of blue eyes connect with mine. My breathing stops, my feet coming to a halt as Boris himself steps out of the elevator. The man looks like a mess, but I don’t let that deter me from what I need to do.

When he walks in my direction, I can see he recognizes me, but it’s not until he is nearly to Nessa’s door that I step in front of him.

“Stop,” I say with more bravery than I feel. Cillian said this man used to be some kind of mafia big shot something-or-other, so I’m a little bit afraid of what he might do.

On the other hand, I also feel safe with him, even if his expression tries to convince my brain otherwise.

He shakes his head, trying to get past me, but this time I’m not taking no for an answer. I shove at him using all my strength, then pull out Nessa’s weapon from my back. I don’t aim it at him or flick off the safety, but Boris must see that I’m not far from it.

“You don’t deserve to go in there. You don’t deserve to see her.”

He shakes his head and takes a step back, shock written on his face.

“Who gave you such authority to prevent me from seeing her?”

I try to stay calm as I cross my arms over my chest. “You did.”

Confusion crosses his features before they harden again.

“Well, you may consider yourself relieved of your duties then.”

When he tries to step past me again, I drop my arms and meet him with a finger pressing into his chest. I’m used to being dismissed, but the way those words cut my heart is deeper than I thought he could affect me.

“I don’t walk away from myduties,” I say seething. “Unlike you. You left her. When she needed you most, you left. I heard her cry, I saw the hurt in her eyes. Don’t you think she’s been through enough?”

He straightens his shirt almost as if it were a suit.

“I am not required to justify my actions to you.”

I snort, crossing my arms with the gun still in hand.

“You are required to not hurt her in the process though. You asked me to protect her and I failed once. I won’t fail again.”

He runs a hand through his hair as his nostrils flare in anger. “So will you shoot me with the same weapon I gifted to her?”

I look at the gun in my grip when a hand rests on my shoulder.

“Irony at its finest, isn’t it, Old Man?”

Cillian stands at my side. “She just fell asleep after waking up without you there. I’m not picking up your shite of a mess this time.”

“Don’t step foot into that room until you’re ready to be the man she deserves,” I state plainly.

Boris throws his hands out in the air, raising his voice in frustration. “And who the hell do you think that is?”

Yelling is something I’m used to. The guards would raise their voices at us all the time to keep us in line. But I learned another thing during my nearly year-long sentence with those men. It isn’t the loud, brash ones who are respected, but the one who is firm and controlled.

So instead of yelling, even though I want to so freaking badly, I take a step closer and find it in me to keep my voice even.

“Someone who stays.”

Chapter 8

I stand firm behind Kai, making it clear Boris doesn’t get to keep doing this. If he wants to come back this time, he’s going to have to prove to all of us that this isn’t who he’s going to be.

My skin itches with the need to get back to her, but I overheard the kid and didn’t want to risk Boris killing him. I don’t think he would, but the child has been through enough. I have no plans of adding the wrath of Daddy B to the list.

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