Semua Bab Reckless Hearts: Bab 121 - Bab 130

"You really can't help yourself, can you?" Liam's deep and quiet voice rang clearly through the room, the weight of his words clashing with the ever-rising tension. "You're like a damn addict. You just can't help yourself!"Holly opened her mouth to speak, to explain, to save Andrei more than herself, and to shield him from Liam's imminent wrath. But her tongue seemed to have grown twice its size, rendering her mute.Locked in some kind of trance, or something equally weird, like sleep paralysis, unable to speak or move, Holly could see everything so clearly—from the erect, almost defensive way Andrei held himself to Liam's rage bubbling just beneath the surface to Eden opening up her arms to her son and burying his face in her chest like she didn't want him to see all the ugliness about to unfold. Holly took in all these little things, but like a ghost trapped in the physical plane or an astral visitor stuck in someone else's dream, she couldn't interact with the objects around her

When Liam suggested they step out of the room for a 'man-to-man' talk, Andrei assumed they'd pop into the coffee shop on Holly's floor. He didn't expect to be led through an emergency exit and up a dark, narrow staircase.As they ascended several flights of concrete steps, dread settled in his stomach, cold and heavy, like iron. He felt like he was a prisoner being taken to the gallows, with Liam leading the procession, his cousins and Levi following behind them like guards ready to block any escape attempt.When they finally burst through the metal door and stepped onto the rooftop, Andrei half expected Liam to reach inside his coat, pull out a gun and ask him if he had any last words. But he didn't. In fact, none of them said anything. They all seemed happy to just stand in the freezing cold and gaze at the bleak dark clouds blanketing the night sky. They all seemed content to just stand there and push off the inevitable confrontation that had brought them up there to begin with.

Visiting hours were long over, but Andrei stopped by Holly's ward anyway, hoping to catch a glimpse of her on his way out. But as expected, Eric and his colleagues were guarding her door. With the biggest, smuggest grin on his face, Eric made it very clear to Andrei that no amount of phone calls to Holly would grant him access to her room. He was back under Liam's command and had been given strict instructions to keep him away from Holly. "Really?" Andrei crossed his arms on his chest, amused when Eric briefly parted his jacket and showed off his gun, his threat, loud and clear. How he was able to bring in his pistol when Andrei had to leave his in the car—since hospitals, like other public spaces, were gun-free zones—was a huge mystery. "Leave, pal!" said Eric, clearly feeling emboldened in the presence of the other three men. Deciding a fight with Holly's security was a headache he didn't need, Andrei moved along, relishing the thought of firing Eric come Friday. He never real

By the time Andrei returned to Crush, he was ten minutes late. He entered the club via the rear exit they'd used earlier, and headed to the back office, expecting to find Austin. Instead, he found Rex, the manager, and one of the dancers, going at it like rabbits, their impassioned moans drowned out by the deafening music pounding the walls."Oh, for fuck's sake, Rex!" Andrei cussed as he quickly backed out of the room and shut the door, wishing he could unsee the X-rated images scorched in his brain.Annoyed as fuck at the Only Fans content he'd just walked into, Andrei called Austin, checking his whereabouts. Austin answered after several rings, sounding breathless and frazzled, "You didn't get my text?""What text?" Andrei asked."Phoenix is running a fever, and Marybeth needs me home. I'll have to take a rain check. Does tomorrow work for you?" Of course, tomorrow didn't work for Andrei. The sooner he dealt with Jaco's possible reappearance, the better. But what other choice did

"Whoa! Hold up!" Igor shrieked as he sprung away from his crate and began pacing. Not that there was much room to pace anyway since the space was so cramped. "You mean to tell me this shit's been going on for at least five months?" "Longer, actually!" Those two words were Andrei's undoing, his mind scattering in a million different directions, trying to compute the breadth and scale of this rogue outfit. "How long?" he asked, barely able to get the words out over the sickening pounding of his heart. "How long have you worked for Rocky?" "Since late last year," said Abigail. The shifty look in her eyes was back full force as she glanced at everything in the room but Andrei. "I think October. It could have been November. I can check my messages with Rocky if it's important." Nine months, Andrei thought frantically as he mentally worked out Abigail's timeline. Mikhail had been running his operation for at least nine months. Not a few weeks like he'd suspected. But a whole fucki