Page 225 of Never Fall for an Angel

“I’m not a puppet, Christian. You had your shot to figure it out alone, but I’m done hiding. I havesatin thehousefor months and I’m sick of it.”

“Sick of a goddamned roof over your head?” I counter, shoving my hand at the house behind her. “Sick of baking or painting your nails or lounging with the dog all damn day?” She jerks back like I’d slapped her. “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was so damned hard to lay low while I figure this shit out.”

A tear slips down her cheek and I look away. It’s not fucking fair that she can say whatever she wants, but the moment I see a single tear on her cheek, I’m ready to rip the world to shreds.

“Isn’t that why your father took your mother to that cabin?”

Fuck.

“I’m going home,” she says with finality when Levi steps out of the bunker, his gaze locking with mine over the top of her head. My eyes flick from him back to her. “I’ll leave it up to you whether you can find the time to join me tonight.”

Turning, she marches back up the path towards the house. Levi joins me when she pushes past him and both of us watch as she disappears inside.

Levi blows out a breath.

“Take it there’s trouble in paradise,” he muses, a hint of amusement in his gaze.

“Never,” I lie. “Everything’s perfectly fucking perfect.”

“Sounds like a conundrum.”

“You’d be correct.”

“Should you go after her?”

I shake my head. I know Mila better than anyone. More than even her mother. When she’s pissed off, she needs time to herself.

Turning away from the house, I resume my way towards the car.

“She’ll cool off,” I murmur when Levi follows me.

—I hope.

I’m sitting at my desk in my office when the call comes in.

Looking down at the unknown number on the screen, I can’t stop the sinister laugh that leaves my lips.

I’ve been waiting for this call.

“Hello . . .brother.”

“I’ll fucking kill you,” he growls immediately. I lift the phone from my face when he spews a string of explicatives my way, and lean back in my chair.

A smile pulls on my lips.

Game on.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to take a number.”

“Where the fuck is it?”

“Your dick? I’m afraid you weren’t born with one. The doctors said there was nothing that could be done.

“You think you can keep me from what’s rightfully mine?” he scoffs. “You would have nothing without me.”

“Youarenothing.” I sit forward, watching my wife asleep in our bed on the screen, her hand outstretched to my side.

“You’re going to rot for what you’ve done. I’ll make sure to bring Mila to your trial. Would you like that?” he sneers. “How about if I put a pretty little collar around her neck and walked her naked through the lodge? Think the guests would like that?”

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