Page 27 of Dirty Hearts

Yes, I absolutely fucking would.

* * *

It took me half an hour to get to his office building. I’d been here exactly once before. That was to meet him outside.

I wasn’t supposed to know that this place was the central hub for the don of the Chicago mafia. I didn’t think it was some hideout. These people didn’t need to hide, but I was sure as fuck that people didn’t think it was an accountancy firm like the other buildings surrounding it.

I asked the receptionist for the boss’ office, and she stuttered, not wanting to say. So, I did the next best thing and looked at the board above her.

I placed my guess on Claudius’ office being the one that was labelledExecutive Suite. All the other offices had department names.

He’d told me once that sometimes you had to hide in plain sight.

I moved away from the reception desk and continued in my pursuit to the elevator even though she called after me.

I selected the fifth floor on the panel on the wall. The doors closed before the security guard could get to me.

Once the doors opened, I stepped out and headed to the only office door I could see. It had to be that. It had that inconspicuous look.

And I could feel him.

It was like my years of being without him gave me some sort of messed-up sense where I could feel him. Always.

I hated it.

I didn’t bother to knock. I just pushed the door. It flung right open, and there he was inside with four guys.

Before I could draw a breath, four guns were aimed at me.

Click-clack. That was the sound.

Claudius’ eyes went wide, and he stood up glowering at me like I was the one who had done something wrong.

Fuck him.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. I didn’t know what I should say, but I was going to say what I wanted to say. All of it.All of it, and this would be the end.

With the guns still trained on me, I walked into the room anyway.

I didn’t miss the surprised expression on the guy nearest Claudius. I also noticed that they all had tattoos of crosses on their necks. Claudius was the only one with the cross on his cheek.

“Guns down, men, and get out!” Claudius cried, looking at the men like some kind of feral animal.

The men did as he said and moved.Quickly.

Although I could see them watching me, I kept my gaze on him.

He waited until the door closed before he frowned.

“What in the ever-living fuck is the matter with you? You want to get yourself killed?” he screamed at me.

“Maybe, maybe I do. Isn’t that what you want?” There… God, I said it.

I said the thing that had been eating me up all this time, all these years.

The truth of the matter was, seven years ago, that psycho Goliath took me and Marissa. He put a bomb on her, and I didn’t know where they took her.

Claudius should have rescued her. But it was me he’d saved. If he hadn’t gotten me, then he would have probably had time to save her.