Cruel Paradise - A Mafia Romance Chapter 104

EMMA

“What happened?” Ruslan asks gruffly. His eyes track every bruise on my face, every cut on my skin.

I so want to be aloof and detached. I want to be the grownup here. But my anger gets in the way of my better instincts.

“Do you even care?”

His jaw tightens. “I suppose I shouldn’t.” He glances back over his shoulder, probably just to prove how little he cares.

“Right. Anyway, like I said, thank you for intervening. I swear, this will not be a regular thing. In fact, it won’t be a thing at all.” I back up towards the Chevy. “I’m just gonna take the kids and—”

Those amber eyes flash to mine. “As much as I would like to send you off right now, I need to make sure the situation is contained.”

I frown. “What do you—”

“We don’t know if those two mudaks were working in isolation or if there’s another team they’re coordinating with. Letting you drive off right now would be foolish.”

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was trying to keep me here. Keep me close.

The problem is, I do know better.

I glance back at the Chevy. “Ruslan, the kids are exhausted. Not to mention terrified. I need to get them away from here.”

He looks unsympathetic, but before he can argue with me, the Chevy jiggles from side to side and all three kids emerge from the back seat.

“Guys! Get back in—”

My protests are drowned out in a throng of “Ruslan! Ruslan!”

Caroline and Reagan both tackle him at the waist. Hope they knee him in the balls while they’re at it, I think viciously.

“You saved the day!” Caroline cries.

“You’re like the knight in shining silver.”

“Armor, Rae!”

“I can’t say that word.” Reagan scowls, jutting her tongue out at Caroline.

Ruslan chuckles and something jolts through me when I hear that sound. A part of me genuinely believed I’d never hear it again. It’s nice to know that it still exists at all. I wondered if perhaps I’d stolen it from him for good.

It strikes me that that’s a pretty egotistical thought. Someone, someday, is gonna make him chuckle the way I used to, the way the kids are making him chuckle right now.

Whoever she is, I already hate her.

“Girls, come on. Give Ruslan some space.”

I’m struck by this overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I feel like I’ve said something similar to the girls before. I have; I definitely have. Except that was during one of his first visits to the apartment. We were right on the cusp of a glorious few months.

That was the beginning.

This is the end.

None of the children are even looking at me. All three are focused on Ruslan. All three are looking at him as though he’s some kind of sainted savior. And it makes the pain in my chest all the more piercing.

What have I done? Unintentionally or not, I gave them a father figure, another male role model who ended up disappearing from their lives without so much as an explanation or a goodbye. I exposed them to a world that was too dangerous for any of them. I made the mistake of believing that Ruslan would protect us, that he would always be around to protect us.

He was so larger than life in my eyes that I forgot the crucial lesson I learned when Sienna died: it doesn’t matter how bright a person shines; it doesn’t matter how invincible they seem or how perennial they may appear…

Everyone is human.

Everyone can leave.

Even heroes can die.

I’m distracted by Kirill who walks over with his eyes fixed on me. I’m not sure what that expression on his face is—discomfort? Worry? Nerves? Whatever it is, I have no idea why it would be aimed at me in the first place. Not when Josh was the one who was almost snatched away from us.

“You okay?” he mumbles.

Ruslan’s head jerks in our direction. Listening. Always listening.

“I’m shook up, but otherwise fine.”

He nods before turning to Ruslan. “We’ve got the situation contained, pakhan. I’ll transfer the men back to base for questioning. They appear to be working alone.”

“But why… why take Josh?” I interrupt. Kirill and Ruslan exchange a glance and I connect the dots. I force myself to make eye contact with Ruslan. “This is about you, isn’t it?”

Ruslan nods grimly. “Like I said, I won’t let this happen again.”

I grit my teeth. “We should get going, kids.”

“Nooo, Auntie Em!” Reagan complains. She’s clinging onto Ruslan’s arm. “Can we stay with Ruslan?”

“Yeah!” Caroline agrees. “No one will mess with us then.”

“Ruslan’s busy.” We’re also not his problem anymore. “And we need to get home.”

“Home?” Reagan asks enthusiastically, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “You mean home-home and not—”

No, no, no—

“Oh my goodness!” I gasp, making all the kids jump. “I, um, forgot to call Aunt Phoebe. She was expecting us ages ago.” The girls look confused. Josh is the only one whose expression has turned wary. “If everything’s settled here, we should be going.”

Ruslan’s gaze is trained on me. Lord, that stare—it draws things out of me without him even having to lift a finger. “I’ll escort you home. Or to Phoebe’s, if that’s where you’re going.”

Is he calling me out? Or is he just being protective?

“There’s really no need.”

He’s got that pinched look on his face. Lips pursed, eyebrows joined in one skeptical slash. That stubborn God-himself-can’t-change-my-mind kind of look.

“I insist.” His tone is biting. “Kirill and I will follow you. Your place or Phoebe’s?”

Shit. “My place. I’ll, uh… I’ll just have her meet us at home.”

“Can we go in Ruslan’s car?” Caroline pleads, putting her hands together.

“Yeah, yeah! Please? Pretty please, Aunt Emma!” Reagan joins in.

“Girls—”

“It’s okay with me,” Ruslan agrees.