Page 152 of Avenging Azalea

The blush that spread across her face made it worth the delay. Cupping her cheek, I couldn’t resist her lips and kissed her.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were trying to seduce me into not going into work,” Fawn said, smiling against my lips.

“Is it working?”

“If Sheba wasn’t in there…maybe, but…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know where I rank,” I teased, and gave Fawn a soft kiss, trying to ignore the healing purple bruises.

“Are you pouting, Titus Mikhailov?”

“Maybe a little, but only so that I can use it later.”

“You are troublesome. Who knew all this deviousness was under that sweet demeanor?”

I smirked, but kept my hands to myself, or I might really try to keep her in here with me.

“I better get going, you’ve got mischief in your eyes,” Fawn said, calling me out.

I laughed. “I’ll be here early to pick you up. I’m glad Sheba comes home today.”

Fawn grabbed my hand. “Me too,” she said, squeezing it. “I love you.”

Opening the door, she hopped out. My world lit up when she turned back and smiled.

“You were made for skies, not cages. Loving you…that’s been the only beautiful thing in my whole damned life. I love you, too,” I whispered, and then smiled as Fawn opened her mouth, closed it, and looked completely lost for words. “Go see our girl and Winston.”

Nodding, she closed the door and walked to the back of the clinic. Before she went inside, she looked over, blew me a kiss, and disappeared. I rubbed at my chest, the ache she created was so raw that it physically hurt to be away from her. But this…I had to do alone.

Pulling out of the driveway, the procession of SUVs pulled away from the curb to follow me. I glanced in the rearview mirror at Bella and Daisy. They sat at attention, and the sweet, goofy looks from a moment ago were gone. It was like they knew what was coming next and were preparing themselves.

It took forty minutes to get to Mikhailov Enterprises with the heavy morning traffic, but it gave me time to think. Parking in front of the towering building, I hopped out. I’d never imagined not working here. Naji and the rest of my soldiers did the same as I got Bella and Daisy out.

“Here you go,” Naji said, handing me a small velvet bag. I tucked it into the inside pocket of my suit jacket.

“If I’m not back down in fifteen minutes…”

“Storm the castle,” Naji answered as he crossed his arms.

I looked at Oliver. “You ready for whatever happens?”

“I’ve got your back. Just point me in the right direction and I’ll take down whoever you need me to,” Oliver said. I was very happy that I’d taken a chance on him.

“Let’s hope it doesn’t get that far.”

Only Bella and Daisy followed me to the front door. The guards looked nervous but nodded as I walked inside. My father wouldn’t have bothered blocking my access, but he might after today.

I rode the elevator upstairs, screwing the silencer onto my gun. When the doors opened on the top floor, I marched toward my father’s office. The secretary he was fucking, stood up with her lips pressed into a tight line of disapproval. Before she could order me not to interrupt his closed-door meeting, like she’d done so many times before, I lifted the gun and fired two shots. One through her heart, the other right between her eyes. She fell back into her chair, staring sightless at the ceiling.

Reaching his office door, I threw it open with a bang. The men meeting with my father jumped and turned to look at me. I knew exactly who they were. The one on the left was Boris, the head of his security team. He did most of my father’s dirty work. The one on the right was Mr. Vilanova’s son, Alexi.

Striding in, full attention on my father, I lifted the gun and shot Boris through the eye as he reached for his gun. Alexi took two taps to the chest. The men slumped in their chairs while my father sat there with his mouth open.

Stepping up to the desk, I finally saw what I’d refused to see for so long. The Devil had claimed his soul somewhere along the line. The man who sat in the chair looking up at me was no longer a man that I’d willingly follow or call father.

“What…what the fuck are you doing,” Dimitri asked, getting over his initial shock.

Standing abruptly was a bad idea. Bella and Daisy put their paws on the desk and growled, teeth bared as the deep rumbling vibrated around the room. Dimitri swallowed and slowly raised his hands, easing himself back down into the chair.