Page 12 of Severance

“Okay,” I agree with Kai. “But not like this.”

Kai tilts his head slightly as he raises an eyebrow at me. “I’ll follow your lead,bambolina.”

Smiling at him, I turn back to Stan and walk over to him, with Kai following behind.

“Get the fuck up,” I bark at him.

Stan sits up and laughs loudly. “You think you’re going to tell me what to do now,princess?”

“Do whatever the fuck she says, Stan,” Kai demands from behind me. “I’d hate to see more kids get hurt because of you.”

Stan’s eyes dart above my head. “What did you do, Kai?”

“Nothing,” he concurs. “Yet…”

“You touch my fucking kids and I’ll fucking kill you and this cunt!” Stan’s face is bright red and sweat drips from his hairline as he yells at Kai.

Kai chuckles and shakes his head lightly. “I won’t touch your kids, Stan. I don’t do that shit.” He shrugs. “My boys though, I can’t promise they won’t.”

“I swear to fucking—” Stan starts, but is quickly cut off.

“Listen to Dahlia or I’ll make the call.”

What fucking call?

I glance back at Kai, but his eyes stay on Stan. His stone-cold eyes with that sinister grin.

I’ve seen that look before.

The same look that his father wears.

No, he isn’t Luca.

“I’m calling your fucking bluff boy.” Stan sneers. “And I’m not listening to your little bitch.”

Leaving Kai behind me, I stride up to Stan and slam the butt of the revolver into the side of his head. He drops down onto the ground in a rush.

Fuck.

Staring down at him, I wait, but his chest continues to rise and fall with each breath.

Thank god, he’s still alive.

I spin around to face Kai and cut my eyes at him. “What the fuck, Kai?”

“Chill, Dahlia,” he says, walking toward me. “He was right. I wouldn’t kill his kids.”

“How am I supposed to know that?” I retort, glaring into his soft brown eyes. His face is softer and warmer.

He’s not his father.

“Trust,” he says quietly, as if it’s the answer to everything.

Maybe it is…

Taking a deep breath, I nod as I give him a small smile. “Okay,” I agree as I step closer to him. Reaching up, I cup the side of his face and stroke his cheek with the pad of my thumb. “Just don’t be like him, okay?”

Kai stills under my touch and his eyes grow wide. “I’m not Luca.”

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