Page 94 of Ruthless Bonds

His hands trembled slightly as he stared up at Jesus crucified on the cross. “Smoke started filling the basement, and the cop took off. The house was on fire above us, and it was spreading like wildfire. We were able to break through the plywood on a small window and get out, but just the two of us. All those people…” He rubbed his hands over his face. “They all burned down there. We ran, but I had to carry Antonio because he was bleeding so much from his leg. We stayed hidden until it was safe, then we called his brother, who came. The next thing I knew, we were crossing the Canadian border before anyone knew we were still alive.”

“Jameson, why didn’t you come home? Or tell us? All these years…”

“I couldn’t, Alora. I wanted to, believe me. There were only two choices—disappear with them, or risk watching the Bratva come back and kill you and Mom. If you had found out I was alive, they would have killed you. I had to become a ghost.”

Anger coursed through me. At him for not telling me, and at that cop for doing this to him. But something still didn’t make sense. “What does any of this have to do with Kreos?”

His eyes darkened as he came toward me. “He was there that night. I saw him when the cop dragged me through the house. He was there arguing with some men, saying that everyone was going to die tonight. I remembered every single detail about his face. He was just a kid like me, but already a monster. Antonio’s family said we couldn’t retaliate back then because they had just called a truce on a decades-oldwar. I had to let it go, but inside, I never forgot what happened… because of him. Then a few months ago, Kreos Zokrov showed up at my boss’s house with a business proposition. He looked right at my face and had no idea who the hell I was. Because to him, people are disposable.”

“You’re wrong!” I backed away, my heart racing. “Kreos fights against trafficking. He told me—”

“He’s a liar and a murderer. And you married him.” He spat each word at me with such anger that I flinched. This wasn’t the brother I knew. No, this was a hardened man with seventeen years of rage burning inside of him.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Alora,” he mumbled. “I promised myself I would protect you. That’s why I’ve been watching, waiting. When I saw you had married him… I couldn’t let history repeat itself. But you don’t have to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you.”

His words did little to ease the fear that had slowly been creeping up my spine. “How did you know about the marriage?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

His face softened as he stood in front of me. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you for years. I knew I could never tell you the truth about what had happened, but I could try and keep you safe. I had someone looking out for you.”

“Who?” I scrunched up my nose.

“Zeke.”

My mouth fell open. “The guy living in front of my apartment, Zeke?”

“Yeah, he’s a good guy. When he told me you were involved with a dangerous criminal, I came to see formyself. Then I found out it was Zokrov…” Jameson’s jaw clenched. “I told my boss Zokrov was the one behind everything that night, but without proof, they won’t risk a war. Then I saw you with him and knew I’d start a thousand wars to keep you safe.”

“Jameson.” I reached up, finding his cheek. “My heart aches for you, for what you’ve been through. All these years lost because of terrible people. But Kreos isn’t one of them. He’s—”

“—got you fooled, Alora.” He jerked his head away from me. “I’ve been trying to warn you, protect you.”

A thought came to me then. “Wait, are you working with the mole in his organization? Is that because of you?”

Confusion flickered over his face. “What mole? What are you talking about?”

“Someone’s been trying to take down Kreos, leaking information to his enemies.” I checked my pocket, pulled out the coin. “You’re not responsible for this?”

He took the coin, studying the front and then the back. Shaking his head, he handed it back to me. “Not me, but it sounds like fate is finally catching up, if you ask me.”

I shook my head, putting the coin back in my pocket.

“I’m going to kill him, Alora. End this so you can be free from this charade of a marriage and I can get my vengeance.”

My heart shattered at his declaration. He was wrong about Kreos, I knew it. “Stop it. You don’t get to come back from the dead and destroy my life all in thesame night.” I paced in front of him, my mind racing. “He’s my husband, and I love him. I can prove he wasn’t involved.”

He narrowed his eyes at me, not saying anything for a moment. “How?”

“You let me worry about that. Just promise me you won’t do anything until I can get the proof. Promise me, Jameson. You owe me that much.”

I could see the hesitation on his face, and I held my breath. He had to give me a chance to prove this was all a mistake. And then… then I didn’t know. My brother was alive, but he wanted to kill my husband. How could things get any worse?

“Fine.” He nodded. “Get your proof. Warn him if you want. It won’t stop me from coming for him. Remember, we don’t run from monsters, Alora. We kill them.”

My heart clenched at his words. He was a significant reason I was who I was—fearless, vengeful, and somewhat crazy. I could make this right.

“I love you, so I’m giving you this one chance to prove me wrong. If it was anyone else but your husband, they’d be dead already.”

I sighed, my shoulders relaxing. I knew there had to be a way out of this, I just had to think.

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