“Rex is here, boss. He wants to speak with you,” Luke says, coming up behind me.
“Send him in.”
“Who’s Rex?” I ask, sitting on a long bench.
“He has the information I need.”
I nod and stare down at my feet, trying to control my nerves. I don’t want to think too much about Dimi and the fight he’s about to enter into. I certainly don’t want to think about the “information” he’s receiving.
“Dimitri, long time no see.”
I lift my head to see a man walking into the room behind Luke. I can’t see him fully because Luke is so big, but when he steps aside, everything in my world stops. My vision blurs and I sway in my seat. I can’t be seeing it right. I can’t be. He’s dead. He’s dead. I begin gasping for air as I manage to push myself up to my feet and step behind Dimitri. I reach out and take hold of his arms from behind, needing to be holding onto someone right now. He flinches at the contact.
It’s him.
My foster father.
I don’t know how he’s still alive, I don’t even know how he’s here, but it’s him. His face is . . . God . . . so fucked up. It’s scarred so badly it would take a person who has known him for a long while to recognize him. One of his eyes is permanently closed; it looks like it’s fused together. His skin is bumpy and damaged and his hair is now graying and wispy. He’s as awful as he was back then.
Dimitri turns, his expression hard. That is, until he sees mine. I’m staring at Roger, my foster father, and I’m barely breathing. I killed him. I’m sure of it. There was so much blood, he wasn’t breathing. At least, I thought he wasn’t. I don’t remember a great deal about that night. But . . . I was so sure . . . no . . . no, this can’t be right. It can’t be.
“Hey,” Dimitri says. “Jess, look at me.”
I lift my eyes, and I can feel my lip quivering. His eyes narrow and he jerks his glove off, reaching up and cupping my cheek. “What is it?”
“Dimitri?” Roger says, stepping closer. “I don’t have long.”
Dimitri turns and glares at him. “I need a minute, my girl is upset.”
His girl.
My knees buckle from the mass of emotions running through me. It’s not real. It’s just someone who looks like him. He’s dead, I remember it. I saw him bleed. I stabbed him so many times. He’s dead, Jess. Dead. He’s dead.
“Well, hurry it—” Roger begins. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Dimitri mutters a curse and glares at Roger again, but Roger’s gaze is on me. He’s finally noticed me. I can’t breathe. My knees tremble and I am still grasping Dimitri, not willing to let his arms go. Roger’s evil blue eye is wide and horrified, but it quickly turns to anger.
“You fucking little slut!”
Dimitri spins around, shoulders back, expression livid.
“What the fuck did you just call her?”
“I’ve been lookin’ for you for years, you little whore. Do you see what you did to me, Blair? I’m gonna fuckin’ kill you.”
He lunges toward me, and with a cry I scramble backwards. Dimitri steps in front of him, his fist lashing out and connecting with Roger’s face. A loud crack fills the room and Roger’s nose begins gushing blood down his face.
“Step back!” he roars.
Roger stops, throwing a hand up to his nose. He turns his angry glare to Dimitri. “I’ve got business with her. Step aside.”
“You’ll not go near her!”
Roger glares at me, his body stiff, but he steps back. “If it wasn’t for the massive amount of money you’re going to bring me, I’d put you on your ass, Dimitri.”
“You need to get out of this fuckin’ room, now.”
“With pleasure,” Roger growls, then his eye turns to mine. “We’re not done, Blair.”
He turns and leaves the room, and I fall to my knees. My entire body is trembling and I’m sobbing. Any wall I’d built up for myself is just crumbling into thousands of tiny pieces. Dimitri drops to his knees beside me and puts his hands on my shoulders.
“Jess, look at me.”
I lift my eyes, but tears are streaming down my face.
“Who was that?”
My lip quivers as I open my mouth and rasp, “That was him, Dimi.”
He doesn’t need more of an explanation. He launches upright and spins, charging toward the door. Luke steps in front of him just before he reaches it, shoving at his chest.
“Stop and think before you charge out there.”
“That fucker is going to die, Luke. You don’t know what he did. Move.”
“Dimitri, stop and think,” Luke orders. “We need that information and he’s the only person who can provide it. If you kill him, it’s all going to go with him. Think about it.”
Dimitri stops and steps back, glaring at Luke for a second. With a sigh, he reaches up, running his hand through his hair. “I can’t stand in front of that piece of shit and let him speak without wanting to cut his fuckin’ balls off.”
“You have to, just until we have our information. Then I won’t hold you back.”
Dimitri nods.
My entire world stops spinning. He’s going to take his side for long enough to get information. My ears begin to ring as I push to my feet. How. Dare. He? The one moment in my life I needed someone to back me, and he’s going to actually interact with that man just for information.