Page 54 of Scarred Ruin

“You’re right. I’m not talking about Andrey, although that’s also risky given the project you’re determined to see through.”

He meant given I didn’t have full control of the various state and city departments who would either approve or deny the various aspects of the medical facility.

“Then what exactly are you talking about?” My tone was more challenging because there was only one other aspect of my life possibly lingering in his mind.

He took a couple of steps closer, almost as if daring me to react physically. How many times had he done so when training me? A classic move of pushing hard to see if I could handle pressure. It had taken two full years of him surprising me with bullshit to learn to control my rage and my reaction.

“I’m talking about Miss Dayne.”

“Miss Dayne wants very little to do with me. She’s made that perfectly clear.” And she had when I’d dropped her off that night. It hadn’t been so much her words as how closed off she’d become after our passion.

And I continued to doubt her change in demeanor had anything to do with my roughness. I could be wrong.

“I wouldn’t either if I were a woman. Before you ask, I have keen hearing, Maxsim. I don’t know what you expect from her after your behavior. Even worse. I know you.”

“Meaning what?”

“Meaning you cannot tolerate anyone telling you no. You will hound that woman until she breaks. In doing so, you’ll be off your game. I’ve watched it happen before.”

Now I was in his face, my finger pointed and my fury to the boiling point. “Be very careful what you say next, Sergei.”

His smirk was all that needed to be said.

The bastard had beaten me again. “Is she worth possibly losing everything you’ve built?”

His question was justified and one I couldn’t possibly answer at this point.

Sergei nodded. “You’re a good man who deserves happiness, Pakhan, but not at the expense of everything else. And don’t forget. If Miss Dayne is completely trustworthy, you could be placing her life in danger.” As with every training session over the years, he’d known exactly what to say to pull me from whatever quandary I’d driven myself in.

I remained where I was, chuckling to myself.

He stopped and tipped his head over his shoulder. “You still need to work on your comebacks.”

“To hell with you. I want you to personally ensure her safety, Sergei.”

Somehow, I’d surprised him, but a full ten seconds passed before he conceded to my command. “I’ll take care of it.”

As he walked into the darkness, I continued thinking about his advice. He was right about almost everything except for one.

I didn’t deserve any happiness and never would.

CHAPTER 11

Isabel

“Are you aware we were followed to and through the park?” Hope’s question wasn’t surprising. She was an astute woman and a keen observer.

There’d been some tough-looking men in ill-fitting suits who’d been outside my office, following me not too closely, but enough I’d found them in my rearview mirror almost as soon as I’d left to meet Hope for lunch.

Of course, grabbing salads from our favorite fast-food joint and heading to the park had offered them plenty of opportunity to keep a close watch on our activities.

“I’m aware.” I ripped open the plastic lid while throwing a glare in their direction. There were two men standing a solid fifty yards away from each other.

I recognized them as Bratva soldiers for two reasons, one being I’d recognized one of the men from the not so enchanting date night with Maxsim.

“Should we be concerned as in calling the police?”

“That won’t do any good,” I told her. “He’ll just send two more or knowing him, a full army.”