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“So I’ve heard.”
“What do you believe?”
“I believe the guy struck me as more of a follower than a leader.” His gaze swept over her. “God, I missed you.”
Her breath caught.
“I’m so sorry, Alina.”
Her chin lifted even as her lower lip trembled. “Sorry you ignored me for two weeks?”
“I didn’t—” His hand yanked through his hair. “I’ve been protecting you.”
That was the story he chose? “Your protection feels like you were ignoring me.”
“I’ve watched you almost every damn moment. I had to be sure you were safe.”
“Right. Because you take your bodyguard job so seriously. I hate to tell you this, but I’m pretty sure my father fired you. Watching me isn’t your job any longer.”
“Yeah, he did. Ryker fired me and told me to stay the hell away from you. And Bradford warned me that if I didn’t stay out of your life, I’d get slapped with a restraining order.”
Her eyes widened. “But—” She stopped, not sure what to say. Her father had told her nothing about ordering Midas away. Firing him, yes. But—he told Midas to stay away?
“They both want me far away from you, but here the fuck I am.” His gaze seemed to drink her in. “I wanted to kill Henry.”
Her heart slammed into her chest.
“When he confessed to hurting your mother, I could see your devastation. I could feel your pain. I attacked him, and I wanted to kill him.” He sucked in a breath. “If the guards hadn’t pulled me off him, I-I don’t know what I would have—”
“Stop.” She took a step toward him.
Midas backed up.
Alina blinked. “Midas, are you afraid of me?” Surely not.
“I’m afraid of hurting you more than I already have. God, baby, what is it even like for you to look at me? Do you see him?”
“No.” She shook her head. “I see you. You, Midas.” She took more steps toward him.
But Midas backed up again.
Oh, forget that. She rushed forward. She tossed the ear buds somewhere and grabbed his hands. “You are not your father.”
“You saw me attack him. I am just as violent as—”
“How many women have you killed?”
“What?” Horror flashed on his face. “None. I would never—”
“What about torture? You do that a lot? Terrorize people? Torture them for fun?”
“No.”
“You hit your father. Yes. But he’d just confessed to killing my mother. I wanted to hit him, too. I was already running to attack him, but a guard pulled me back.”
He’d turned to stone beneath her touch. “You hate me.”
“No, Midas.” Hate was the last thing she felt for him. “I’m mad because you left me without a word. I’m hurt. But I don’t hate you.” Alina didn’t think she could ever hate him.
