“He’s not our problem anymore.”
Her eyes widen as she gazes down at me. “Did you…” Her voice falters as her eyes widen. “Did you call Malakai?”
I push myself up on my elbow as she falls back on her butt, looking completely shocked. “He broke in to your apartment. He could’ve hurt you or, even worse,killed you. He was becoming a thorn that would never go away. I made sure that prick has been removed from the possibility of ever hurting you again.”
Her mouth hangs open as she stares at me. “I can’t believe…”
“Baby, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe, and that includes handing over your demented ex-fiancé to a man he borrowed two million dollars from, knowing the consequences if he didn’t pay him back.”
“They’re going to kill him,” she whispers behind the palm of her hand.
“Does it matter?”
God, I sound cold. Maybe I am. I can’t feel bad for a guy like Lucas. He was willing to put her life at risk in order to save his own. I can’t have anything except disgust for men like him. He’s a weasel and a thief.
Iris blinks a few times, gawking at me. “But…”
“Would he have let you die?” I ask her.
“I…”
“Would he have given you to Malakai to wipe his debt away?”
“I…” she says again.
“Would he have shed a single tear if you were hurt because he borrowed the money?”
This time, she doesn’t open her mouth in response.
“Would he pick you over the money?”
Her head falls forward because she knows theanswers to my questions. A man like Lucas would never pick her over his own life. He was ruled by money and never by love.
“I feel so foolish,” she says as she twists her hands in her lap, unable to meet my eyes. “I thought he loved me.”
I reach out, taking her hand in mine. “He probably did in his own way, Iris, but not in the way you deserved.”
She lifts her head, dragging her gaze to mine. “He loves money and nothing else. How could I be so stupid, Brax?”
I pull myself up to sitting, facing her on the bed. “You’re not stupid, baby. You trusted someone with the most precious thing of all, and he stomped on it. Never give your heart to someone again until they prove they’ll put you above themselves. Got me?”
She nods as her lip trembles. “All of this put your life in danger. Getting wrapped up with Malakai at all was a risk for you and your grandfather.”
“Don’t worry about us. We’ve dealt with men like Malakai our entire lives, and all that matters is that you are safe from here on out. Safe from Lucas and Malakai.”
“Do you think Malakai killed him?”
I shake my head. “No. What good is he dead? Malakai would still be out the two mil, but I think Lucas will be paying off the debt for the rest of his lifeand probably get more than a few broken bones and bruises along the way.”
Iris winces. “I don’t know if that sounds better.”
“It’s his problem. Not ours or yours.”
Iris slides across the bed, climbing into my lap. “I was so scared tonight.”
I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight. “I can imagine. I’m sorry.”
She snuggles against me, nuzzling her face into my neck. “The only thing that kept me from losing it was knowing you’d save me.”
