32. Javi
Iswear I’m going through so many notebooks that I’m going to need to start buying them in bulk. After the conversation I just had with Sandro and Cristian, I filled up yet another one. Tomorrow’s meeting with the therapists is going to be…fun.
So far, things are falling nicely into place.
There are still two holdouts that I need to deal with…
But Cristian coming in at least gives me a partial leg up on it.
Atticus will be the best for him in individual therapy, even if Atticus’s methods are by far the most controversial.
Doc and I both agreed to keep Atticus’s special talent under wraps for a reason.
It’s going to come back to bite us in the ass, but it can’t be helped.
At least, Sandro agreed that both him and Cristian should see Reid.
While Cristian was more tepid to the idea, he is willing to try, which is more than I expected at this point.
I have a feeling Sandro is pulling a lot of strings behind the scenes, and it makes sense that the echo of being Il Padrone remains.
It’s simply a matter of trying to slot all the pieces back together…
However, I highly doubt my next two troublemakers are going to fall in line easily. Roman is ducking me at every chance. Connor’s impatience is showing with that situation as well. The man is a bleeding heart of a Daddy, which Roman will discover, whether he wants to or not.
Of course, dealing with Roman may be easier than trying to convince Tennant that he needs to see Marshall with Cristian.
Their underlying tension is doing nobody any good.
Fucking hell. It’s too bad I can’t just…
eliminate the troublemakers. It would make my job so much easier.
Then again, I wouldn’t have an empire of minions if I did.
Maybe I should reward myself with a kitten.
I still need to pick out a pet for Bran-bran’s kid.
Yawning, I lock up the notebooks and head toward the door, intent on tracking down Doc.
I want to run an idea by him. Although, yeah, that’s just an excuse to see him.
It’s hard being so close to him, knowing I can never touch him.
But I won’t walk away, despite Ely offering to have me come back after getting things set up for the Council.
It’s true that the empire of therapists mainly runs itself, but I’m too invested in these test subjects.
Not to mention, being close to my college crush.
Still, Ely’s offer tugs at me. It’s been weird to be away from her for so long.
I may even miss the screaming baby—although, I do not miss Daniel.
Asshole will never be good enough for her.
Shaking off the thoughts, I pass the guards outside the various counselors’ rooms. It’s good to see they’re on point, although there’s nobody in front of Atticus’s door.
I’m unsure if that’s just because it’s Atticus, or if he’s not in.
I hesitate for a moment, wondering if I should check, but I think it’s best to wait until tomorrow’s meeting.
The whole “he killed a bunch of guards” thing probably doesn't make him a friendly option with any of the others who survived.
Finally, I make it to Doc’s office and peek in, relieved to see him there, scribbling in a chart. The way he’s bent over the chart has my heart beating faster, and his complete dedication is awe inspiring.
Personally, while I want to see how things go with these test subjects, Doc’s pure goodness… It's a reminder of why I can’t have him. Even if I desperately wish I could. But I don’t think his Daddy would agree with my dreams of corrupting him.
Still, I stare from the hallway, needing to be in his presence, even if it’s only on the periphery.
I wonder if he’d be more interested in a kitten or a puppy.
With his regal stance, I’m leaning towards a kitten.
Something as sleek as him, but a little bratty to fit his fiery nature.
Perhaps I’ll see if I can find the perfect companion.
If I can’t be in his bed, knowing I found something that could would almost be as good.
“Are you going to stand there, silently looming, or come in?” Doc’s voice is laced with a humor most don’t get to experience.
I bask in it, but before I can move closer to my heart’s desire, both our phones light up with an alarm. I stare at him, wavering, wanting to stay and protect him, but if anyone’s coming for the fuckers who now belong to me, I’m going to take care of it.
“Stay here,” I bark out, and almost immediately I cringe at the fury washing over his face as I turn on my feet.
The guards are all on alert as I run past them, carefully positioning themselves to make sure their principals are taken care of, but my phone signals again, and this time it's a direct call.
I answer without breaking stride, snarling, “What?”
“Your presence is needed in the foyer. Now.”
I don’t bother to say anything, knowing Leandro has already hung up. But fuck, could that have been any more vague? Is this my sins coming back to haunt us? I haven’t even had time to hunt lately, so it would have to be an old case… Shit. I better not have brought the fucking cops down on us.
As I draw closer, I pick up the sound of yelling…
and my name. What's worse, it's a voice I recognize. Fucking Daniel. I slide into the foyer, surprised to see he’s alone. However, the fact he’s struggling against three guards doesn’t shock me.
They’re all very…motivated not to fuck up again after Atticus.
Still, as soon as he asked for me, they should have simply escorted him back or called for me, not started a damn brawl.
When a vase crashes to the ground, shattering, I note the butler’s pained expression. Oops.
“Hey!” I yell, stilling the guards, even as Daniel continues to struggle. “That’s my cousin-in-law. You can let him go.”
“I don’t think that’s a wise decision,” one of the guards grunts as Daniel drives his elbow back into him.
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Seriously, I don’t need my cousin to be pissed off. Let him go.”
“Alright. You asked for it,” he mutters as he takes his hands off Daniel, and gestures for the rest to release him.
Once they do, I focus solely on Daniel. “What’s going on? Where’s Ely? And the baby?”
With a roar, Daniel charges at me, managing to get a punch in before I can grapple with him.
The guards try to swoop back in, but I wave them off.
Whatever is going on, I don’t need them getting injured trying to protect me.
I’m more worried about why Daniel is acting like more of an ass than normal.
It doesn’t take long before I manage to get Daniel to back off.
My jaw may be sore, and I probably need Doc to take a look at my ribs, if for no other reason than being able to take my shirt off in front of him, but Daniel’s definitely coming out worse than I am in this.
He’s a sweaty, panting mess when I’m done, as he collapses onto the floor.
I offer him my hand, grudgingly, but the last thing I need is for Ely to jump on me for not only beating her husband’s ass, but also leaving him on the floor. He pushes it away before jumping up and crowding me. I raise an eyebrow, willing to go again if that's what he wants.
Instead of hitting me, he grabs my shirt and pulls me close. I don’t bother to push him away, simply asking, “What the fuck is your problem?”
“My problem?” he snarls. “My problem is you, fucker. Ely asked you to come back. I heard her. She let you come here, thinking she was doing you a favor. Knowing you had a damn crush on that fucking doctor. But did you come back? No. So now, despite the fact she saved you, despite every-fucking-thing she gave you, you weren’t there! ”
“What do you mean?” I ask urgently as he pushes me away in disgust. He scoffs at me, and this time I’m the one grabbing him, hauling him in as I shake him. “Where is she? What the fuck happened?”
“What happened? This is what happened,” he sneers as he digs in his pocket and slaps a piece of paper against my chest.
I let him go so I can grab it. I read it once. Twice. Three times. And my blood turns to ice. It doesn’t make sense. The words dance on the paper as everything becomes blurry, before narrowing to a pinpoint. I can’t look away from it, but I need to. I need to demand answers.
“What happened to her and the baby?” I try to scream, but it comes out broken, a whisper and nothing more.
I glance up, only to see him shake his head.
The shattered look on his face matches the pieces of the vase strewn around our feet.
The problem? This time, it’s the small bit of heart I have that crumbles as well.
Ely is my everything. My stability. The only thing keeping me in check… And the words on the paper?
I throw my head back and release the most primal scream of rage and pain I can muster.
There’s so much movement and talking going on around me, but I can’t get the words out.
Daniel is saying something urgently, but it doesn’t matter.
All of a sudden, I feel a prick, and I know a needle is sliding into me, delivering sweet oblivion.
I’ll take it. Because once it’s gone, the Senator is going to find out exactly how I deal with problems. He’ll find out just who the fucking king of the jungle is around here, and I’ll make him pay.
He'll pay for the loss tearing through me, and for every letter on that damn page. Because the words keep running through my head, again and again. They’re the last thing I think about before I slip under.
You may have gotten a kid back, but now you’ve lost a mother and baby. Nobody is safe from my reach—admit defeat now.
To be continued…
Dive into the exciting and page-turning Crimson Bonds book 12, Unfettered, now!