Page 94 of Prince of Control
Baron releases me, and we both round the corner.
Two men lie dead at my father’s feet. He beckons us forward, and we jog down the hall.
He wraps me in a quick one-armed embrace and lifts his chin in Baron’s direction. “Get her out of here.”
“Come on.” Baron takes my hand and tugs me out a door into the orchard. I hear gunfire come from inside the house. Two guards lie dead in the garden.
We run out a gate, along a hedge, and out a larger gate where we leave the property.
Baron keeps running, leading me to a white van.
I recognize the driver who gets out as one of my father’s men.
Baron pulls open the back door, and we climb inside. “Lara is secure,” he says, and I realize he’s wearing a comms device in his ear.
“Get her out of there,” I hear my father’s voice come back through.
“Da” The driver slams the door shut.
Gripping my hips, Baron directs me into a seat and crouches in front of me, his worried gaze traveling faster than his fingertips as he inspects me, grimacing at the bruises on my face and neck. “Did he…” The hardset line of his mouth and the danger in his eyes speak murder.
“No. I told him he couldn’t because I have my period.”
I watch something crack apart in Baron before his face returns to that of the hardened knight.
The van takes off, but Baron easily balances on the balls of his feet. He pulls the comm device out of his ear and flicks a tiny button. The light on it goes off.
“Anatoli Rostov–Brash’s father–called your dad after you started dating and proposed a union of your two families.” Baron launches into the story without preamble. Like he’s had time to think about all the things he should have told me, and he wants to make it right immediately.
He’s still crouched in front of me, his hands lightly resting on my hips, his eyes locked on mine.
“Your dad feared for your safety and told him it was impossible because your marriage had been arranged since birth to me. Rostov figured your dad would not be as equipped to fight against my father and the American Bratva with just your father’s cell.”
I blink, taking in the rush of information. Reassembling the puzzle pieces with this new context.
“Your dad immediately called my father and asked if I’d be willing to marry you and bring you to the United States for your protection. I said of course.”
I fight the sudden urge to weep. Of course, Baron agreed. He always puts the protection of the weaker as his first priority over his own needs.
“I knew Brash from prep school.” Baron’s face darkens to thunder clouds again. “I’ve seen his psychopathic tendencies. I got kicked out for avenging one of them.
“Your father was worried about his family, but I was concerned about Brash and what he would do to you if he had control of your life.”
Tears stab my eyes. Why didn’t my dad just tell me?
“I thought you knew it was a farce, but when you arrived pissed off and thinking I was the enemy, I realized he hadn’t told you the truth.”
Oh God. Baron was the hero all along. And I’d treated him like the enemy. And he had taken it. All my anger and acting out. He had taken it without defending himself. Without acting wounded. He just accepted my lack of gratitude with complete stoicism. With total grace.
“I figured your dad hasn’t told you for a reason. You’re very transparent with your emotions. I don’t know how good you are at lying, but I’m guessing not great.”
As angry as I am at my dad, Baron is probably right. I’m a terrible liar, and I can’t hide my feelings.
“He didn’t want the Rostovs to figure out it was a farce. But they did. Rash sent a spy to Thornecroft–Denis.
I gape at him, my eyes widening. Denis? Gospodi! No wonder Baron didn’t want him near me.
“He was a part of the attack on Melinda. He was at the hospital when she was brought in, and I think he must’ve spoken with her while she was drugged. I had told her we had an arranged marriage. I also said something I shouldn’t have–that the timeline on our marriage had been moved up because you had interest from another party. That was all Brash needed to realize your departure was about him and to believe he had a chance to convince you to leave with him.“
