Empire of Sin(Empire #2)(82)

I internally shake my head and focus on him. On the blood that’s trailing down his chin and dripping onto his white shirt and the lapel of his jacket. “I should be the one asking you that. I’m so sorry.”

“He’ll be the one who’s sorry when I sue him for assault.”

“Please don’t do that.”

“You’re still defending him after he fucked up my face? The same face that’s worth millions of dollars and on the cover of countless magazines?”

“I’m really sorry. I’m sure he didn’t mean to.”

“You must really love him if you’re apologizing on his behalf after you clearly broke his heart.”

A ball the size of my fist thickens in my throat. “It’s…complicated.”

“I can see that. He called you Anastasia and I assume it’s not because of some role-play kink I didn’t know he had. Is that why you asked me to come in here? And what’s with the coming on to me bullshit when we both know it’s not true?”

I bite my lower lip. I really didn’t mean for Knox to catch us, not that there was anything going on. I only spilled my water on Daniel and I was trying to wipe it off when Knox walked in.

Daniel dabs the back of his hand against his nose before his scrutinizing attention falls on me. “I might not look like it, but I don’t allow anyone to use me, especially when it comes to hurting my best friend.”

“I’m not using you…I just wanted to ask for your help.”

“Concerning what?”

“Knox’s safety. If you care about him, don’t explain this situation to him. Let him believe that I came on to you.”

“So he’ll hate you?”

My lips tremble. “Yeah.”

“That means he’ll hate me, too, and I’m not game for that. So you’ll have to give me something more to go on with this plan.”

I take a deep breath. “I’m leaving.”

He lets his hand fall to the side and tilts his head as if I finally have his undivided attention. “Why?”

“Because I’m a danger to his life, and if I stay, he’ll be dead in no time.”

Daniel doesn’t react strongly. In fact, he doesn’t react at all, which is to be expected of a lawyer, I guess. He leans against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Explain in more detail.”

“And you’ll help me?”

“If your goal is to protect him, I will.”

Okay.

I can do this.

If there’s anyone who can help me keep Knox away, it’s Daniel. Even if it means hurting him in the process.

However, no amount of emotional pain compares to what would happen to him if he insists on staying with me.

Surprisingly, the words don’t feel heavy when I confess to Daniel, “Because my father is the leader of the New York Russian mafia and Knox is under threat because of that.”





33





KNOX





The need for violence hasn’t left my system.

If anything, it’s growing and intensifying, despite being in the process of murdering the punching bag in my building’s gym.

I keep pummeling on and on, imagining Daniel’s face as its substitute. Or any other man’s face who ever put their hands on her.

Any.

All.

This isn’t normal, is it? Being on the verge of destruction and feeling like I’ll burst any second. It isn’t normal to have urges I thought I got rid of long ago.

Like standing at the top of something high, spreading my arms, and plummeting down, just so I can kill the shadows swirling around me from every side.

Or maybe cutting open my veins so they’ll fucking bleed out so I can stop them from whispering, murmuring, and hissing in my ears.

I haven’t had these thoughts for…years. Or maybe I’ve done a fantastic job pretending they weren’t there anymore.

That I was fine.

Perfect.

Completely over my past

Dad is right, after all. It’s impossible to pretend all is well when it isn’t.

One incident, one moment in time is able to make me backpedal into the worse version of myself.

The version that resisted the urge to jump or cut open my veins because I couldn’t leave Teal. Because I was responsible for my sister and abandoning her was a betrayal of the vow I made to protect her.

But she doesn’t need my protection now. Not only does she have her husband and son, but I can finally admit that she’s in a better place than I am.

I always thought I was her rock and anchor, that I had to be strong for her, but I didn’t stop to think about how much that fake strength would eat away at the edges and seep inside.

That’s how it feels right now—like I’m dissolving from the outside in.

The scene of Anastasia clinging to Daniel keeps replaying at the back of my mind in a loop, in spite of my attempts to stop it. It’s whirling, repeating, and fucking up my breathing.

The way her lips parted when she looked at him and knelt between his legs. Lips that were only mine to kiss. Lips that only smiled at me.

Not anymore, though.

We’re over.

That’s what she said and when I didn’t agree, she proceeded to fucking prove it.