Page 117 of Thorns of Desire
I helped her out of her dress and into one of my shirts, then carried her to bed.
She sighed when I slid in next to her and settled under the covers, snuggling her close. I sucked in a deep breath. “Tell me everything.”
She started with the attack at the clinic, then how she discovered her mother’s betrayal. All the things Qian had said, and then her father.
“He said Qian wouldn’t kill me because he needed me as leverage. I think he knows about Mei.”
I wouldn’t be surprised. Danil got his sharp logic and business savvy from his father.
Before I could ask her anything else, Athena’s eyelids dropped and she fell into a deep sleep, her soft snores filling the space between us.
We slept wrapped around one another, tighter than ever before.
A tap on the door pulled me awake.
I checked the clock on the nightstand to find it was only five in the morning. Athena was sprawled across my chest, breathing against my skin.
Just as I was about to go back to sleep, another knock came. I slowly eased my wife to her back and covered her, then got out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt, not bothering to button it as I stepped out of the room, closing the door behind me.
Danil and Lykos stood in the hallway, their eyes bloodshot and a frown etched between each of their brows.
“What is it?”
“Alexandra was poisoned,” Danil spoke first.
“What? How?”
“My father. She doesn’t have much time,” he answered, running an agitated hand through his dark hair.
“She’s asking for her daughter,” Lykos grumbled. “Personally, I wouldn’t let her see Athena.”
“This is for my sister,” Danil gritted. “She’ll need closure too.”
“How in the fuck did Atticus get in here?” I hissed.
“I think he followed us from the boat,” Danil admitted.
“Fuck, Athena told me Atticus was on the boat.” Danil shot me a surprised look. “Do you have him?”
Danil let out a sardonic breath. “You clearly don’t know my father. He won’t be found until he’s good and ready.”
“What did he want from her?” Lykos demanded.
“He wanted to take her away with him, but she refused to go.”
“He must have learned Alexandra betrayed Athena and it pushed him over, igniting his anger.”
“If Atticus thinks he’ll somehow get in our good graces, he won’t,” Lykos stated. “I’ll end him.”
“I’ll kill him a thousand times over if he even thinks about hurting her.” I ran my hand through my hair. “But I don’t think that’s his intention.”
“It’s not,” Danil confirmed. “He wants to right all his wrongs as a father. He sees Athena as a second chance, but the problem is that being attached to Atticus Popov spells danger. We can’t allow that.”
“But nobody is asking you to allow me anything.” My wife’s voice came from behind and we all whirled around. “Danil, you saved my life. Twice. But that doesn’t give you the right to map out who should or shouldn’t be in my life.” Fuck, I loved this version of my wife. Somewhere along the way, she had found parts of herself that made her into a queen. My queen.
Danil flashed her a smile. “Sorry, sis. I can’t help it. But for you, I’ll try.”
Athena tilted her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “You do that, brother. For me.”
