Page 58 of Darkest Game

“Because it’s dangerous. Because you belong with your family over me.”

“I’ve missed you,” I admit, shocking even myself.

“Fuck. You shouldn’t say that to me.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m tempted to take you back. You are my wife after all. But I don’t want a war with Mikhail and Nico while I’m dealing with Elaine. And I don’t want to put you in a position where you could get hurt again. So that’s why you shouldn’t tell me that.”

“I’m sorry.” I duck my chin, my face on fire.

Liam places two fingers under my chin, raising my face up to his. “You don’t have to be sorry. I’ve… missed you too. I never thought I would feel this way. I mean, fuck. We’ve only known each other for less than a week.” He lowers his hand but I can still feel his fingers on my skin. It makes me want to feel his fingers in other places.

I blush at the thought. That thought is the last one I should be having.

“I should go,” he says. “I don’t want to start a shootout in the middle of Central Park.”

“All right.” A part of me wants to ask Liam if we can find a way to see each other again. After what we went through together, it’s only fair. But the words don’t come.

Something in my gut tells me to look over Liam’s shoulder. When I do, I notice a man hiding in the trees. He has a gun with him.

I grab Liam’s arm with a gasp. “Liam. Look!”

He spins around right as the man fires off his gun. The bullet – which can’t even be heard since he’s using a silencer – hits the ground right beside us. Liam throws his body onto mine.

“Oh my god!” I hear Natalya scream. When I look to my right, I see her and Sasha running towards me. Nico is right behind them. “Get off her! Get off her!”

Oh no. They think Liam is attacking me.

I look to my right and see Elaine in the trees with the man. “Elaine is here.”

Liam pulls me to my feet and takes my hand, pulling me in the opposite direction as Elaine and the shooter. And the opposite direction as my family.

“Let her go!” Natalya screams.

But Liam doesn’t stop running.

“What are you doing?” I ask, keeping pace with him.

“Getting you to safety. Elaine will try to kill us even in a public park. We have to move.”

“We have to explain it to my family.”

“Nico will kill me, even if there’s witnesses. I can’t stop.”

And I don’t stop either.

I run beside Liam as we get further away from Elaine but also further away from my family.

A glance over my shoulder reveals that Nico is in hot pursuit of us.

“He’s going to kill you,” I gasp.

“Fuck. This way.” He pulls me through a grassy area and on to the other side. We reach the outside of the park and are met with New York traffic. All the cars are not moving. Liam doesn’t hesitate to pull me across the road. But when Nico tries to follow, he’s stopped by all the cars that pick up.

“Where are we going?” I gasp as Liam continues to pull me away from my family. A part of me wants to dig my heels in and stay with them. But another part of me wants Liam to take me away.

“I’m getting you to safety. Here.” He flags down a taxi and ushers me inside. He rattles off an address to the cab driver. “Fuck. That was a close one.”