Page 82 of No Longer Safe

It was a joke and funny when we didn’t know it was the truth. The grannieshadkilled their husbands and they would kill again if they needed to. Ace probably had blood on his hands too. It made so much sense why Mrs. Phipps hated them. She knew something. Did Carina tell her and not me? Surely not.

“I will say the ones I’ve beentaking care ofare bad men. They’re men that don’t deserve to be free on the streets. They’re the men that women should be afraid of and they lurk in the shadows around here. They are the kind of men that will never know punishment because my father has his hands in everything, well, almost everything.”

“Does Carina know?” My voice sounded so broken. Sodetached.

“She might know about Ace but I’m not sure. I doubt he would tell her the truth. Our father would never allow it and if there’s one thing Ace does perfectly—it’s listen to our father. Father’s word is law to him and for that reason, you can never tell Carina what I’ve told you.”

“Hasn’t Ace been to your home? Wouldn’t he ask about these red dots?” I ran my fingertip over one again.

He lifted his chin. “I turn the lights off when he’s here, but he has asked before. I told him they’re my favorite places to fuck in public.”

My eyebrows shot up on my forehead. “You don’t think he’ll catch on?”

“That’s the thing about Ace, he’s loyal to a fault. He will accept my lie because it’s better than knowing the truth. If he were to know the truth, he would have to take it straight to father and that’s the last thing he wants to do. We love each other in our own convoluted way.”

Nodding my head, I turned away from the map, unsure of what to do with this information. I would never tell Carina, but it felt bad, dark. I knew he was sin, I knew he was darkness, and I knew that he would destroy me if I let him.

He was putting the ball in my court. I turned to him then and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “Thank you for dinner tonight. I’ll see myself out. I’ll talk to you soon.”

He closed his eyes and nodded as if he knew this would be the thing to tear me from his grasp, but that wasn’t it at all. As I walked down the hallway, my heart hammered in my chest. It wasn’t that he killed people. That’s what got me the most. That should have been my deal breaker. I hated myself that it wasn’t. I knew that I would see him again and kiss him. I walked away because I knew that I couldn’t give him what he needed tonight. I needed to think because the hardest thing about what he told me was that he trusted me with the information to destroy him.

This entire time I’d been afraid he would destroymebut instead, he gave me everything to destroy him. Which meant one thing—Alexei Cristof was in love with me.

Chapter Fifty-Two

Alexei

My heart wasin my throat as I watched her walk away. I told her everything. I wanted her to know me. I knew that was what was holding her back from falling, from letting herself fall. So I did what I needed to do. The stupidest thing I could have ever done but it was over with now. I couldn’t take it back. I wouldn’t try to take it back. If she so chose to, I wanted her to fall in love with all of me. I didn’t want the other shoe to drop later on. I wanted her to know everything up front and if she still wanted me after that… then that was all I needed.

I didn’t have a full staff like Ace did in his penthouse. Like tonight, I borrowed Georgie for dinner and dessert— that was sitting untouched in my fridge—, and sometimes I sent my clothes off. I was a tidy person, I could clean up behind myself and my cleaning lady didn’t come often. Georgie cleaned up the kitchen after herself so I carefully placed our plates and cups in the large stainless steel sink before I leaned against it.

Maybe it was stupid of me. I probably shouldn’t have told her everything, but I needed it on the table. She needed to know that I wasn’t my father’s lackey. That I really wasn’t much of his son either, to be honest. Looking back, it made no sense on why they had so many kids, but I knew better than to question my mother.She didn’t have anymore answers than anyone else. She was left in the dark most of all. I wanted nothing more for her to leave, but if she tried, I knew I would be putting her in an early grave. We all knew better. We didn’t cross Father, at least not openly.

With careful hands, I undressed my shoulder and cleaned the shallow wound. It was probably for the best Audrey left tonight. I wanted her so badly but I didn’t feel like I could be around her while looking like this. But she deserved the truth and I knew if I didn’t see her and kept this from her, I would lose her forever. I touched my face, where her lips pressed against my skin. Maybe I had lost her for good. It was the chance I was willing to take.

The knife wound was nothing. Right below it was a scar from when I’d taken a bullet for the first time. I was nineteen and I learned that night to be the best or I would die. I trained with all sorts of weapons, especially guns, to be the best if the time ever arose. I trained almost daily to keep my body healthy and in the best shape. I knew how to defend myself and how to take on attackers.

I hissed through my teeth as I poured alcohol over it and the seven stitches holding my skin together. This could have all been avoided but I needed my father off of my tail. I needed the guys to think I was gone or they would be back for more. It was better to lie low for a little bit. As carefully as I could, I wrapped my shoulder back up with a clean gauze and put myself to bed.

Are you thinking about me?

It was risky but it was the risk I was willing to take. She would be home by now if she went straight there.

Audrey

You wish.

A deep breath left me in a whoosh. She didn’t hate me.

I absolutely do. I wish you’d stayed.

Three little dots appeared and then disappeared. I waited five whole minutes before her message came through.

Audrey

What would have that accomplished? You’re injured and it’s been too long.

Pain shot through my crotch. How dare she play with fire like this? I could only handle so much and I’d stayed away this long.

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