The air instantly sharpens. Adrian stands near the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, hands behind his back like he's preparing for a firing squad.
Blue sits on the couch, clutching her elbow, her face pale. A long red scratch trails up her forearm.
The hairs on my neck rise.
What the fuck is she up to now?
She catches my gaze, and a tiny smirk appears.
Adrian lunges toward me. His Russian accent is thicker than normal. He snarls, "We've got a problem, and you're lucky I'm letting you breathe right now!"
My self-control snaps. I seethe, "Oh, we definitely have a problem!"
Adrian moves toward me, and Blue jumps off the sofa. She slips between us. "Dad, don't do something stupid."
"Get out of my way," he warns her, his icy-blue eyes balls of rage.
She steps backward against me. "More violence doesn't solve anything!"
I take three steps to the left. I warn, "Don't touch me!"
She sucks in a wet, trembling breath and stumbles.
Adrian's scowl turns hotter. He grabs Blue and snarls, "Your wife slit my daughter's arm."
I jerk my head backward.
No way.
Maybe.
No. She would have told me.
I point at Blue. "She's lying."
Her voice turns to sweet victim-mode. "Brax, I didn't do anything, I swear. She—she saw me on the street and just lost it. She pulled out her pocket knife, and before I recognized who she was, she slit my arm!"
"Bullshit," I spit.
Blue flinches dramatically.
Adrian roars, "Look at the blood! She's going to have a scar!!" He holds her arm toward me.
I step forward, chest expanding with heat. "Valentina didn't touch her. But let me tell you what your daughter's been up to."
"What's that?" Adrian hisses.
"I've done nothing, Dad!" Blue claims.
I sarcastically chuckle.
Adrian booms, "You find this funny?"
I stop laughing. "Not at all. And what's really not funny is that your daughter's been stalking me for months. She's broken into my place several times, and today she had the nerve to break into Valentina's!"
Blue gasps, shoulders trembling. "You're lying." She turns toward Adrian. "He's lying, Dad. He's just covering for that...that Abruzzo wife of his!"
I point at her, snipping, "You need help, Blue. You're delusional."
