Page 22 of Room Seven

“This is getting really tiresome.” I rear back and kick the dude trying to shove me into the trunk of a Beamer in the face and feel pride in being able to wear wedged boots and kick ass at the same time.

Cassius is across the gravel and helping me to my feet when Santi turns me around and shoves a set of keys in my hands.

“You need to get out of here until we settle this problem.”

“Fine. I’ll go with Polaris.”

“No. You need to get out of town.”

“What? I’m not running.”

A bullet pings off the side of a car, narrowly missing me and I drop to my knees. “Where are all these assholes coming from? You drop one, more spring up!”

I am moved to Cassius’ Ghost and shoved into the back seat. A driver is in the front looking like he sits through shootouts all the time.

Harlon comes over and Santi covers his back, popping off a few rounds toward Joseph, who uses my father’s Jaguar as a shield.

Harlon grabs my chin. “Listen up. The Romanov family isn’t going to take nicely to this slight from us. They like to kill what they can’t have and this isn’t the first time they’ve wanted a Constantine.”

It hits me. “The Romanov father and my mother?”

Harlon nods. “He lost her to your father after a game of cards, and now he wants you for his son.”

“Sick.”

“They have deep pockets and friends in low places. This is why you need to leave. Find your godfathers and go to them.”

“No.” I say flatly and the pain burrowing into my heart slams harshly against the shields I’ve built around my heart.

Harlon is already speaking over me before I can tell him to think up a better plan because I am not going to them.

“I’ve already called.”

“They aren’t even in the country.”

Harlon leans over me and fastens my seatbelt. He turns to the driver. “Take her to our private hangar and see to it she gets on the fucking plane.”

“They will turn me away the second I get there.”

Harlon turns his face into mine and deadpans, “Make sure they don’t.”

“No,” I blurt out, shaking my head furiously. I fumble with the release of my seatbelt, but the damn thing won’t release.

“I’m sorry it’s come to this. I am. I should have never let you work at the club, but what is done is done.”

It suddenly clicks. “You knew this was gonna happen, didn’t you?”

“I keep a lot of secrets in case you forgot.”

He’s talking about my addiction to my godfathers.

“When this is over, I’m coming to you. Blood or not, Harlon” He slams the door in my face. Oh, no he doesn’t.

“I trusted you. I guess that was my mistake.”

“You can slice my balls off and kick me in the dick another day. If you live that long. Now go!”

“You wanted this, didn’t you?”

---