advising she likes me. It could have slotted into my second-most memorable moment if Dimitri had returned my declaration of love two nights ago. Since he didn’t, it holds the top spot, and it may stay there when Dimitri learns the mother of his child isn’t deceased as believed.
After giving my pity-party-for-one ten seconds more than it deserves, I get back to my conversation with Fenna. “We like each other. We’re friends.”
“Yes. Friends,” she agrees, still smiling.
“You…” I touch her chest as she did mine, “… and Audrey. Are you friends?”
She glances in the direction I pointed when I said Audrey’s name before she screws up her face. “No.” She wiggles her finger in the air to get across her point. If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear she was a teacher in a previous life. “No like. We no like.”
“You don’t like Audrey?” The shock on my face can’t be missed in translation.
“No. No like. Stay away.” She curls her arm around my shoulders as she has many times today before she leads me away from Audrey, her steps extra slow since my foot is blown up like a balloon. “Bad woman. Stay away.”
Although the women across the room continue chatting while gawking at me, I know Audrey heard Fenna’s comment. She wipes at the tears sliding down her face at the speed of lightning, but I still spot them.
If she’s hurt about the women spreading vicious lies about her, why isn’t she defending herself? I don’t believe she needs to explain herself, but she as sure as hell doesn’t need to take their crap lying down.
I shouldn’t fight for her, some may say she’s my competition, but for the life of me, I can’t hold back. If she can’t defend herself, how the hell will she defend her daughter when she reaches her age. “Say something to them. Tell them you’re not who they think you are.”
Audrey peers at me through the strands of auburn hair not covering her eyes before she shakes her head.
“Why not? You’re a victim just like them. You didn’t deserve what happened to you.”
I shrug out of Fenna’s hold more aggressively than I meant before I move to Audrey’s half of the room, whimpering through the pain of a suspected broken foot.
“I saw the video. I saw what they did to you. That wasn’t right, Audrey. What they did to you was wrong.” I can tell my words are breaking her heart, but I continue on, confident a mended heart will work far better than an empty one. “Help me help them. Help me stop this from happening to anyone else.” I’m getting through to her. However, my final set of words all but seal the deal. “Help me introduce a little girl to her father for the very first time. If you ever loved Dimitri, you’d want that just as much as me.”
I level my breathing to make sure I don’t mistake her whispered word, “Okay…”
“Yes? You’ll help?” The shortness of my reply can’t weaken the excitement bristling in it.
“Yes.” The fire I’ve been seeking in her eyes for the past six hours finally shines brighter than her fear when she nods her head. “I will help.”
Although I want to believe she’s doing this solely for her child, a small part of me knows this isn’t just about Fien. She wants Dimitri to know she is brave. She wants to show him she has the charisma and spark no one believes she has. She wants to prove she’s worthy of him as much as I wish I couldn’t see it in her eyes. They already have a connection that binds them together for life. Now she wants the commitment that comes along with it.
19
Dimitri
Our arrival in New York doesn’t occur unnoticed. No sirens, flashing lights, or armored trucks some law enforcement officers need to get their point across are seen. Just a single Maserati Quattroporte parked halfway out the hangar my private jet is crawling toward.
Our flight was scheduled to land in the middle of the night to ward off unwanted eyes. I should have realized that wouldn’t fool Henry. He’s been snuck up on too many times in the past to take the news the Italian Cartel is in town lying down.
From what Smith unearthed over the past twelve hours, the takeover bids Henry has faced during his thirty-year reign lost him more than revenue. It cost him the very thing I’m endeavoring not to lose—his family. There’s just one