Page 59 of Darkest Game

“Elaine almost killed you,” I whisper so the driver can’t hear. “She almost killed me. How did she find us there?”

“She was probably tracking one of us and just got lucky that we both happened to be there at the same time.”

“So, even though you gave me back to my family, you think she’s still going to try and kill me?”

“Yes. She hates you. She wants you dead. You have to be more careful, Irina. Standing around outside is asking to get killed.”

I wrap my arms around myself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I’ve never had to deal with any of this before.”

He stares at me with an expression I don’t understand, before he sighs. “You’re right. You don’t know. I just want you to be safe. That’s all. Why the fuck was Nico not keeping a better eye on you?”

“He was right there. I approached you. If I had stayed by him, I probably wouldn’t have been in Elaine’s eyesight. I was being naïve. I know.”

“You’re safe now. That’s all that matters. But fuck. Nico is going to think I stole you again.”

“You technically did.”

“To save your life.”

“I know. Maybe be saw Elaine. Maybe they’ll figure out the truth. I’ve tried explaining to everyone that it was Elaine who was trying to hurt me. Not you. But…”

“But they weren’t listening.”

“No. They hate you. They didn’t care what I had to say at all. I thought when I was reunited with my family that I would finally have a voice again. But I was ignored. None of them gave me the consideration that I know what I’m talking about. I think they all see me as a little girl still. And I’m not even the youngest of my sisters. But Ana has always been more talkative and bold. I think it makes them perceive her as older than me.”

“Right now, my only concern is getting you to safety. After that… well, we’ll deal with it.”

“Where are we going?”

“I have a safehouse we can go to. I told the driver to drop us off at a gas station near it. We’ll walk the rest of the way.”

“Liam?”

“Yeah?”

Tentatively, I cover his hand with mine. He inhales sharply. “Thank you for saving my life again. And thank you for actually listening to me. I feel like you’re the only one who truly sees me.”

After a beat, he takes my hand and squeezes it before letting go. “You’re welcome.”

We’re dropped off at the gas station in Long Island and walk the few blocks to Liam’s safehouse. It’s a nice part of the city but the house is still fairly small. Not a huge mansion. But I don’t need a huge mansion to be happy.

I just want to be safe and figure out my complicated feelings for Liam.

The house is fully furnished. Liam lets out a groan as he plops onto the couch. “I think I hurt my back diving onto the ground like I did.”

“You saved me from getting shot.”

“It was worth it then.”

I sit in a chair next to the couch. Sitting directly next to Liam feels too intimate. We have slept in the same bed together but that was under unusual circumstances.

“So, what do we do now?” I ask.

“Now, we wait it out. I have some of my men I need to call. Inform them of what happened. And we’re still on the hunt for Elaine. I just want to know which one of us she was following to the park. She had no way of knowing we’d both be there at the same time. It was a surprise to both of us.”

I shiver at the idea that Elaine is watching me when I don’t know it. “Why won’t she just give up?”

“Because she’s obsessed with avenging her husband’s death. Even if she hated her own husband. Real complicated shit, you know?”