Page 25 of Malta with My Best Friend's Dad

The right fucking thing.

“I went to war,” I snarl. “I disarmed the prick with the gun to my head and I took him as a human shield, and then I forced Sergey to let the hostage go. Sergey never forgave me for what he saw as a betrayal, and he put a price on my head. Do you remember when I sent you to stay with your grandmother in California?”

Lena nods, as a single tear flows down her cheek.

“That was when I was at war with them. Jocko was watching over you, the same way he has been here. Sergey thought it’d be easy to take me out, but it proved far more difficult than he ever could’ve dreamed.”

“Damn right,” Jocko growls.

“In the end, we made a deal. I’d leave the States – so he could look tough for his men – and he’d leave my family alone. He swore on the Bratva, in front of several of his lieutenants, so he had to keep his word unless he wanted to be branded a liar. But it seems he’s decided to take the coward’s route of exploiting a loophole in our deal. He thinks your protection only extends as far as the States.”

Lena looks at me for a long moment, her eyes brimming with tears. “So you did it to save me.”

I nod fiercely. “I’d do anything to keep you safe, Lena. You know that.”

“But why couldn’t you tell me?”

“I wanted to. I swear to God I did. But it was part of the deal. Sergey didn’t want any loose ends. He wouldn’t budge on it. I would’ve told you in secret but…”

I trail off before the words can reach my lips, but she lets out a short laugh as realization flickers across her face. “But I’ve got a big mouth and I would’ve given myself away, huh? Is that what you’re trying to say?”

I chuckle. “Maybe.”

She stands up and walks over to me, prompting me to stand. “I’m so glad you’re alive, Dad. I know all of this is crazy. I know we might not make it out of this in one piece. But I’m so, so glad you’re back.”

She collapses against me and bursts into tears, sobbing against my chest, as I raise my hands and run my fingers through her hair. I close my eyes and let my cheek rest against the top of her head, savoring this moment, because I’m not sure she’s going to feel the same once she learns the whole truth.

Chapter Fifteen

Kelly

The next few days are the strangest and most difficult of my life.

We were supposed to be exploring all the different aspects of the Maltese culture, but instead, Jocko leaves the house as the sun is setting to get some supplies, and we spend the next few evenings sharing meals as Lena and Kane reconnect.

I do my best to join in on the conversations, but it’s like slow torture being so close to Kane and not being able to do anything.

He’ll glance at me sometimes, an intense look in his eyes, his jaw tight like he’s fighting some inner battle. I’m only able to hold his gaze for a few seconds before I turn away, lust hammering through me, telling me this is wrong, telling me we need to stop.

But we don’t kiss.

We don’t talk about us, about the soul-shattering conversation we had in the apartment in Medina. We keep everything surface-level as he fills us in on where he’s been the last three years.

“All over Europe, England. I spent some time in Ireland. I’ve been working construction and odd jobs here and there. I worked as a private detective for a little while. Anything to keep me busy and out of trouble.”

By the end of our seventh day in Malta – halfway through our trip – it’s like Kane and Lena were never apart.

They bring back all their silly jokes, like pretending that the other person passed gas when they’re eating dinner, causing Lena to laugh like I haven’t heard her in years.

A punching feeling hits me in the gut every time she does this, a reminder of all the ways I betrayed her in Medina, and yet there’s something else too.

A feeling of waiting… waiting for Kane to steal a moment alone with me, so we can, so we can—

So we can what?

If he’s silently telling me to forget what passed between us – which him ignoring me seems to indicate – surely it’s better that I do the same. Surely it’s better we both wordlessly agree to put it behind us and pretend like it never happened, as we wait for Jocko and Kane to work out how to leave Malta without the Bratva getting word of it.

“The problem is they’re watching the damn airports,” Jocko tells us while we’re all sitting around the table for dinner, Kane and me doing our best not to exchange lust-filled glances. “So until we figure out how to get rid of them, we’re stuck.”

---