Chapter 41
CEZAR
Life quieted down for a while. My body started healing, thanks to Dorin and Lina keeping a close eye on me. Codrin came in and out of the house to see how I was doing, talk with me, pretend he wasn’t still shaken by what he’d seen. It almost felt like the good days when Mom was around.
Then Lina dropped another bomb on me. Another mission.
Another nightmare I wasn’t allowed to be part of.
I was supposed to stay put like a well-trained dog.
She told me she wanted me here, that she needed me safe, that she didn’t want me pushing myself.
I didn’t know if it was the truth or if she was trying to shut down my begging.
Either way, she left. And I stayed behind, useless as hell, my body still sore as fuck.
Lost cause or not, I couldn’t stop myself from returning to the same pattern.
Interfering. Meddling. Throwing myself into danger that wasn’t mine to touch.
Most likely risking more lives than I could save.
I hated that she went into these situations without me.
I knew she didn’t need a protector, but I wanted to be one for her the same way she was for me.
The last time I got involved, shit went sideways, even if Lina and Dorin insisted I’d helped. They always tried to soften it. I still felt the failure. Guilt be damned, here I was again, ignoring every ounce of logic.
Bad guys against worse guys. Honestly, we were all terrible. I scanned the area, searching for my shorty, hoping she’d tucked herself behind a few bodies or some structure.
Then I spotted her.
An electric quake of confidence hit me, and I headed straight for her with rounds flying past. She saw me. She absolutely did. And I could practically feel her judgment from across the field. She probably thought I’d lost my mind. She wouldn’t be wrong.
I charged forward, loud, saying whatever the fuck came out just to break the rhythm of the field.
Didn’t matter what it was, I was just trying to pull some eyes.
Lina didn’t need it. She was already moving, her team repositioning around her like a well-trained machine as she pulled the retreat together.
I kept going anyway, drawing fire with every step, pushing closer than I had any right to. More and more of them turned toward me as I ruined their plans and their pride. Egos bleeding out faster than the bodies on the floor.
I squared up as much as my busted frame allowed, ready for impact. If they wanted to send me to hell, fine. I’d make sure I arrived with company.
Then the familiar rat-tat-tat of a machine gun echoed through the noise, followed by her voice—a single command.
“Down, boy.” That was my cue. I hit the floor, and in a matter of seconds, so did all those intent on killing me.
When the smoke thinned, Lina and Dorin were already beside me. They manhandled me to my feet, and I forced my legs to cooperate. Falling apart had to wait until we were—
Home.
“You are crazy, you know that?” Lina drawled, still holding onto me.
“Yes, I do,” I admitted.
I wanted to apologize, to say something, but Lina interrupted me, “Nope, stop. You may be reckless, but you’re also helpful.”
As the men swept through the aftermath, ensuring the fallen were truly lifeless, the task of identifying those who escaped would have to wait. Suddenly, a figure charged at us, catching everyone off guard. Lina’s men were too distant, and even Dorin was nearly on the other side of the room.
I wasn’t in any shape to fight, but I could still shield her with my body. Before anyone could react, the bastard lunged with a knife aimed straight for Lina’s heart. Without thinking, I moved, intercepting the blade and allowing it to pierce through my palm, stopping inches from her skin.
With a single, decisive motion, I pushed the attacker away, extracting the knife.
He fell to the ground, disoriented. Before he could regain his footing, I stomped on his skull relentlessly, each impact accompanied by the sickening sound of bone breaking beneath my foot.
I continued until there were no more sounds, until all that remained was silence and the harsh rasp of my own breathing.
Her heart is mine.
“Ah fuck, that hurt like a bitch. Dammit, I am bleeding fucking everywhere,” I exclaimed, shaking my injured hand to ward off the pain. Acting like I didn’t just do what I did.
Lina stared for a beat.
Dorin rushed over with supplies. “That guy came out of nowhere. None of us had time to react. It’s only your hand, right? Nothing else?”
“Yeah. Just the hand this time, Doc.” I lifted it for him, blood dripping down my wrist.
Lina kept her eyes on me, quiet and unreadable, before turning back to the mess around us. She handled a few loose ends, then helped Dorin direct the cleanup while her people combed the perimeter for anyone who got away.
By the time we piled into the vehicle, my clothes were soaked in blood again.
The image of Lina firing that machine gun looped through my mind.
So. Fucking. Hot. I could barely keep myself under control around her.
Thank god we were in the back. Dorin didn’t need to see my dick saluting the mission.
Lina glanced over, caught the problem, then looked away with a tiny shake of her head. And right before she faced the window again, her mouth tugged up just a touch. She’d never admit she liked having me around and all my perverted bullshit, but I knew.
I adjusted in my seat, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt. Exhaustion weighed on me, threatening to knock me out before we even reached the house. I’d pushed myself past every reasonable limit, and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.