Page 113 of Cruel Honor

Now, I just need to get back to him. All I want to do is kiss him and feel his arms around me.

DIMITRI

“My dad!” Maria cries as I carry her away from the warehouse.

“Your dad is probably dead.” I don’t know why I say it when I just know Abram isn’t dead. Maxim might be, though. I’ll have to deal with the fallout of that later, but right now, I need to get away from this fucking place. Abram doesn’t have Evie, and I need to find her before it’s too late.

Maria gasps and instantly begins crying. I feel like the world’s worst asshole. I used to just feel like a typical asshole, and I was ok with that. But since meeting Evie, I’ve realized I want to be better, and right now, all I am is a colossal fucking asshole.

“I’m going to bring you back home,” I tell her as I reach my car and place her in the backseat. I shut the door and lock it before she can leave. I just need to get her back to her house. There’s no point in keeping her any longer. Besides, as I look back at her, all I feel is guilt.

And I hate feeling fucking guilty.

Maria cries the entire drive back to her house. Once I get there, I notice new guards stationed out front.

“Ok. I’ll unlock the car door, and you run across the street. Those guards will take care of you.”

“But my dad?” she sobs.

“I don’t know,” I admit. “I don’t know if he’s dead or alive. But you should know that if he is alive, I’m going to kill him.” I meet her eyes in the rearview mirror. “You should know that.”

“Why?”

“Because this is a dark dangerous place for young girls. It’s better you know that now rather than later.” With that sage advice, I unlock the door.

Maria doesn’t hesitate to run from the car. I’m driving away before she even makes it across the street.

By the time the guards realize who returned her, I’ll be long gone.

The drive back to the motel feels like defeat. I didn’t get Evie back. Abram may still be alive. Maxim may be dead. And I gave up the one advantage I had over fucking guilt.

I storm inside the motel room. A bullet whizzes by my head, making me jump to the side.

I look over at Katya, who’s kneeling behind one of the beds, the gun I gave her pointed right at me. “Jesus, fuck, Katya. It’s just me.”

“Oh. Sorry.” She lowers the gun. “You just told me to shoot at anyone who came inside. I didn’t really see you. I’m sorry.” She rushes over to me, and I pull her into a hug. “So, you’re alive.”

“I am.” I let her go. “But everything is fucked.”

“Evie?”

“Abram didn’t have her. Which means?—”

“Dima.”

“Yes,” I growl. “So, I still have him to deal with as well.” I sink onto the bed with a heavy sigh. “I just want all this shit to be over. I just want to settle into my life with Evie.”

“A domestic life? I never took you for a man who wanted that.”

“I never did before. But now …” Now, domesticity sounds pretty fucking good to me.

“Where’s the girl?”

“I returned her to her home. No point keeping her. It’ll only piss off Abram even more.”

She tugs on her fingers and nervously bites her lip. Katya is not a woman who ever looks afraid, so seeing her like this pains me. I promised our father I would always protect her, and I know I’m doing a shitty job at it.

“How are you going to kill him?” she asks. “How are you going to end this?”

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