Page 129 of Bossy Hero

Hide in here, girls. You’ll be safe if you stay together. Be quiet and still. Just hide until I come back for you.

It doesn’t take a master’s in psychology to know we’re inclined to follow the example our parents set for us. Long ago, I accepted that I’d chosen a man like Travis and fallen into a marriage of abuse because it was what I saw growing up and didn’t do enough to prevent history from repeating. As cycles are known to do, it continued with me. And then with Sammy, tragically.

However, thehiding. I always viewed it as a flaw of my character. A facet of my weakness. My own failure, not a learned behavior.

Not only that, but I taught my children to do the same.

I repressed these memories of my mother much like I did with the things Sammy revealed earlier tonight. Turns out, I was literally doing what I was taught to do. So much so that it was an instinct rather than a conscious thought.

It doesn’t make what I did okay. It’s not a justification or an absolution. But it’ssomething.

An explanation, perhaps.

And maybe a path to forgiveness. Sammy freed herself from the cycle. Drew did too. And Leo.

Eventually, I freed myself from Travis. Now, I need to figure out how to stop hiding from other things that scare me. Like a future with the man holding me against his chest, comforting me with his touch, and seeing me as someone worthy of love.

Chapter22

Balls to the wall and tits having fits

Big Al

A week later

For nearly a month, entering the lair was eerily reminiscent of marching into enemy territory, thanks to the tension with Tomer. And Madeline was painfully right about how my bare minimum effort was hurting Lettie.

I was so close to losing them both.

But now, the lair is simply another room in my home.

A wry grin plucks at the corner of my mouth. Redleg being my home isn’t only metaphorical these days, considering many of us are bunking here for safety. Since we killed Nikolai’s son, there’s no doubt he’s about to go nuclear.

I scan the room silently before making my presence known.

Tomer’s workstation is empty, and his primary screen is still dark. No surprise, considering I passed him in his new office on the way down here. It felt good to be able to give him that.

Sitting side by side with their backs to me, Mia and Klein focus on their screens, clearly engrossed in their tasks. Big band music fills the air. He nudges the side of her leg with his knee when the song changes to something from a different genre. Neither of them stops working, although she starts humming along.

Fucking hell. It’s Tom Jones. Klein’s tainted Mia’s taste in music.

My eyes track toward the whiteboard covering most of one wall. A hit of vindication floods me when I see there’s one less column on it. For all intents and purposes, Lenkov’s human trafficking ring is dismantled.

Now, our focus shifts to other parts of the mafia. We’ll keep dismantling it until Nikolai is in jail or in the ground with his son. Don’t care which.

I clear my throat. “Good morning, children.”

“Hey, Boss,” Mia chirps, her voice more buoyant than usual.

She’s probably hacking something interesting.

For a change, Klein’s more reserved. “Morning.” He flicks his gaze to the door. “Tomer on his way?”

As if on cue, he breezes in.

Mia beams at him. “Right on time, T.”

He powers on his machine wordlessly, in accordance with his customary refusal to speak unless he’s asked direct questions or has something of value to offer.

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