Page 118 of Scarlet Secrets

Ilya comes up and claps a hand on my shoulder, steering me away. “Got that out of your system?” he asks in Russian.

I glare at him, ripping free to throw myself in one of the plush chairs. “No. I want everyone fired.”

“Not happening, Boss. We use this place for the care they provide, along with the lack of questions and police involvement. Don’t piss them off.” Then he softens. “Erin’s in good hands. What happened?”

I tell him the truncated version.

He closes his eyes. “Fuck. So she’s not happy about Stefina.”

“She doesn’t understand.”

He opens his eyes and sits up. “I think she understands just fine, Demyan.”

One of the doctors hurries past, and I jump up to grab him. “Is she all right?”

“Mr. Yegorov, when we have word on Ms. Banks, we’ll let you know. Now you must let us do our job.”

“Is this mission of yours to piss off everyone here new, or is it a plan you’ve been working on?” Ilya asks as the doctor leaves.

“I have my gun. I’ll shoot you.”

“And piss your woman off even more. Brave. Stupid, but brave.” He gestures at the seat near him. “Sit. They’ll let us know.”

I do as he says, but I can’t shake that horrible knowledge this is my fault. I caused this. Christ, I’m a monster. I’m exactly what my father said I was.

Hours seem to tick by and I’m ready to rampage when another nurse comes out. “Mr. Yegorov. Your fiancée’s okay. She’s dehydrated and we’re running more tests, but she’s awake and is asking to see you.”

My heart races hard and fast. That’s good, right? A good sign? I follow the nurse to the private room they have Erin in, Ilya trailing behind me.

I step inside and my heart sinks.

Erin lies in the bed, a drip attached and her expression one carved from stone.

She’s still angry.

And she’s got every right to be.

I cross to her and take a chair, dragging it to her side and sitting. I reach for her hand, but she snatches it away.

Erin won’t look at me.

“Lyubimaya—”

“Don’t,” she snaps. “Call me Erin. I’m not your anything.”

She’s definitely not about to make this easy for me.

“Erin, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the deal I made with Sergio.”

“Getting married to his sister or daughter, you mean?”

Fuck. “Daughter.” Her face turns an angry red and I know I should have glossed right over that little fact. “It was something I wasn’t planning on following through with.”

She snorts.

“It was a necessary evil in order for me to bring Max’s killers to justice, that’s all.”

I search for a way to explain it better, but everything I think of just makes me sound even worse.

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