Page 33 of The High Priestess

“Just over two years.”

I watch as she sinks deeper into the pillows, and her voice is softer. “Are you an assassin?”

“No.”

Her eyes begin to drift shut as she asks, “What line of business are you in?”

“Killing evil motherfuckers,” I answer honestly.

“Hmm…sounds like you’re an assassin,” she murmurs sleepily before drifting off.

I wait a few minutes before I admit, “No, I’m just a big brother whose heart was ripped out, and the only relief I get from the unbearable pain of losing my sister is killing scum like the bastards who murdered her.”

As I close my eyes, Cassia whispers, “I’m so sorry for the loss you suffered.”

My eyes pop open, and it’s to see her turn her back to me.

“They killed my youngest sister right in front of me. Eleni was holding onto Kiki’s hand when a bullet hit Kiki in the back of her head.”

Fuck. And then they gunned down Eleni right in front of her as well.

I have no words of comfort to offer her when her shoulders begin to shudder. Her breaths become choppy, an indication that she’s crying.

No amount of tears is going to lessen the pain of losing her family. Scabs might grow over the chunk that was ripped out of her heart, but the hole will never heal.

My eyes stay glued to the woman who has an unexplainable hold on me. A sob escapes her, and she turns her face into the pillows.

Most people who meet me, think I’m an emotionless robot, but I’m not. I climb to my feet and shut the door. After I close the blinds, I walk back and sit down on the side of the bed.

Taking hold of Cassia’s shoulders, I pull her to me. She shakes her head, but when I press her face to my chest and engulf her in my arms, a broken cry rips from her.

“I wish I had the ability to protect you from the pain,” I whisper as I start to caress her caramel-colored hair. “But I can make sure no one else sees you like this.”

She nods, and I’m surprised when she wraps her arms around me.

Cassia weeps, her cries echoing in my heart, and all I can do is close my burning eyes.

Not once have I cried for Ronnie, but God, I wish I could. I think it would help.

Minutes tick by, and holding Cassia while she mourns her family makes a foreign emotion seep into the cracks in my soul.

It makes my protective side, that’s already out of control, grow even more. Whatever hold she has on me becomes stronger and it has red flags going up in my mind.

Fuck.

Pulling my arms away from Cassia, I get up and walk to the door. Without a word, I let myself out of the room before shutting the door again.

I shake my head while I stand in the hallway. I can’t become attached to Cassia Dimitrou.

I shake my head again and move to the side so I can lean back against the wall. Crossing my arms over my chest, I snuff out whatever kindling of emotion Cassia is making me feel.

Caring about someone eventually turns into love, and then it hurts like a motherfucker when you lose them.

This is only a temporary arrangement.

I just need to make sure Cassia survives the bratva and becomes the head of the Greek mafia, then I’ll return to helping Santiago.

Jasmine comes down the hallway and she gives me a nod, the expression in her eyes cautious as she says, “You should go so Cassia can rest.”

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