Page 19 of Devious Obsession
I drop my coat over the back of an armchair and sink into the cushions. There isn’t even a television in here.
Brushing my hair away from my face, I tuck the wet strands behind my ear. It’s going to be a frizzy mess by the time it dries.
Artem walks past me, still talking in that deep, commanding voice of his.
My coat slips from the chair, flipping over to reveal blood smeared on the sleeve. I wipe it off with my fingers, smudging the bright red into my skin. It’s not mine.
It could belong to any of the five men Artem killed tonight.
To save me.
My throat clenches. He didn’t hesitate, not even for a moment. He just took their lives so I could keep mine.
Grabbing the coat, I take it to the bathroom. The sink turns red as I wash the blood from the sleeve and then my hands, but my hands still don’t feel clean.
“Elana?” Artem’s voice is soft, coaxing when he finds me standing at the stink, staring at the ring of blood twirling around the drain.
I lift my eyes to meet his in the mirror.
“They’re dead because of me,” I say.
His jaw tightens and he grabs my shoulders, spinning me to face him.
“The moment they drew their weapons against you, they’d sealed their fate. That’s on them, not you.”
Feeling tears forming, I suck in a long breath and close my eyes. There’s a bigger goal at stake.
“Who was on the phone?” I change the subject.
His left eyebrow twitches, and for a moment I think he’s going to push me.
“Janis has put out a bounty.”
“A bounty?” I laugh. “Is this the Wild West?”
“Elana.” He squeezes my shoulders. “He’s willing to pay a million dollars to anyone who brings you to him. Another if they kill me doing it.”
Cold runs through me.
“He wants you dead.”
“Like you said, I killed five of his men.”
I lean back against the counter, lowering my eyes to his chest. It’s not enough that I’ve made a mess of my family and my own life, now I’ve put a bounty on Artem’s head, too.
“You should go back to Chicago,” I say with finality.
“Yes. With you.” He nods.
“No. Alone. I’m not going home yet.” I shake my head.
He stares at me like I’ve just started speaking French.
“I’m not leaving you here.”
“Artem. They want me. They won’t chase you to Chicago. And besides, I’m not done here.”
“Done? What are you trying to do here, anyway?”
