Page 44 of Sinful Hearts

Leo whistles behind me before taking a long chug of his energy drink. “Thank you for keeping that short. I hate when guys goon and onwith some bullshit loyalty speech. It’s a waste of time and breath.” He’s been on chair duty with his new wound.

“It depends on the man. Some need to know why they’re about to die.” I slip my gun into my pocket. “That their action led to a consequence. If you’re giving a man a death sentence, let them know why they earned that bullet.”

My phone rings, interrupting us, and I rip off my leather glove before fishing my phone from my pocket.

My security guy’s name flashes across the screen.

“Yeah?” I answer.

“I’m watching the cameras at your place,” Ned starts.

“No shit. That’s what I hired you to do.”

“You may have a runaway brideagain.”

I can tell the fucker’s trying to hold back his laughter.

“Explain.” I grip my phone tight.

“She ran out the front door one minute ago.”

“Did you follow her?”

“As far as the cameras would reach on the property. Once she stepped twenty feet into the woods, I lost sight of her.”

I grind my teeth, digging my molars together. Stupidly, I didn’t leave Liliya with a babysitter. Right now, with us allowing few men into our circle, using one to sit in a home is a waste of resources. I also thought I’d made myself clear after her last runaway attempt.

“Keep an eye on the property, in case she comes back into view,” I tell Ned before ending the call and glancing at Leo. “Clean the scumbag up. Apparently, Antonio knows a guy who needs a fucking gallbladder. They’ll be here in the next thirty minutes.”

Leo salutes me. “You want me to take his heart before you go? Maybe give it to your new bride since you don’t have one to give her yourself.”

“Why don’t I give her yours then?” I pull my gun from my pocket and quickly fire a shot only a few inches above his head. “I’ll give you another fucking hole in your body.”

“You motherfucker,” he says, smirking and not flinching once.

I hear him chuckle a few times before muttering something about how good gallbladders are hard to come by as I leave the warehouse.

It seems Morozova is synonymous with running the fuck away.

What my new little bride doesn’t know is that I put a tracker in her purse.

If I have to hunt her down in the woods, there’ll be hell to pay.

I’ve survived a traumatic childhood, a Mafia war, and more bullets than I can count, only for the possible death of me to be caused by the woman I just gave my last name to.

15

Darkness surrounds me,and I use my phone’s flashlight as a guide. I sigh every time I step on a twig, remembering what happened the last time I ran through these woods.

Sneaking out is stupid, but it’s a risk I have to take.

Dasha said she needed my help.

Emilio thought he had me held as a prisoner, but he forgot about the advancement of technology. All it took was the Find My Location feature on my phone to learn the address of my new home.

I shared my location with Dasha and told her I’d start walking and that we’d meet somewhere in the middle. It’s not like she can drive right up to the front door and pick me up, and Uber isn’t an option.

I glance back over my shoulder at the sound of an animal howling in the wind.