Page 71 of Deceived Wrath

“I pinky swear.”

I can hardly bear to look out of the window as I pull out of the drive.

Seeing Scout stand on the doorstep with tears rolling down his cheeks as he waves goodbye is pain unlike any other. But I just have to remind myself that it’s not for much longer.

Before I head to the airport, I make a quick detour to a local florist to pick up a bouquet of white roses. Even if I’m only here for twelve hours, I always make it a priority to stop by the cemetery to drop off some flowers at Nadia’s grave.

I kneel and lean the fresh bouquet against the stone. The last ones I left a few weeks ago are already rotting, the petals curling and browning, a reminder that I am the only one who ever bothers to come. Not that I’d expect anything else from her family, considering her father is the one who put her in the ground with his own hands.

Adrian Smirnov is one of the most ruthless bratva kingpins the world has ever known. He killed his own daughter for betraying him, and I have no doubt he would do the same to her son if he ever had the chance. Because of that, the truth of his mother’s identity is mine alone, and it will stay that way.

My fingers brush the smooth stone. “I’ll keep him safe. No matter what.”

Chapter Fifteen

FIONA

I’m halfasleep and almost out the door on my way to the office when I finally check my phone and see Cormac’s name on the screen.

CORMAC: I’m away on business. Don’t come into work.

I don’t know what I’m more surprised by, the fact that he knows how to text or the fact that he’s giving me a rare, mid-week day off.

But my happiness at the prospect of climbing back into bed is short-lived as I open up Cormac’s calendar on my phone and see no trips planned. So, either this happened too last minute for him to inform me, or this is just one big ruse and he’s gone to visit whoever he was talking to on the phone the other night.

Maybe he really does have a secret girlfriend…

I drop my phone onto the counter like it just burned me.

Why does the thought of Cormac visiting another woman have my stomach bottoming out?

“He’s not Freddy,” I say to myself.

Every time he blew off plans, I was left feeling like this. Sick to my stomach and spiraling about what he was getting up to. Then, of course, when I found out he was actually sleeping with my sister, I suddenly missed the time I was left in the dark.

I guess there’s only one thing for it. I’m going to need a Zoe-shaped distraction.

ME: I’ve got the day off. Fancy blowing off work to hang out?

ZOE: You know, now that you mention it, I have been feeling a little under the weather… ;)

ME: Usual place?

ZOE: See you in an hour!!!

I manage to spot Zoe easily among the crowd of half-asleep commuters thanks to her bright pink hair.

Zoe side-eyes a group of guys who have just walked in. “I had to practically wrestle with a finance bro to get this table.”

I grin as I shrug off my coat. “You’re terrifying, you know that?”

“I try.”

I leave Zoe to guard the table and go place our order. While I’m waiting for our drinks to be made, I pull out my phone and loginto Cormac’s work calendar for what feels like the tenth time this morning.

At this point, I’m no longer feeling confused about his sudden disappearance. Actually, I’m pissed.

If he has decided to take a business trip, shouldn’t I be made aware of it? I am his assistant, after all.