Page 65 of Daddy Brigadier

I inhale sharply, my spine stiffening with fury. I’ve been searching for him tirelessly, while he’s been fully aware of my every move. I steady myself with a deep breath, finding my composure. “Did you know he’s in town?”

“No!” he replies, and I study his eyes, keenly looking for the truth he’s desperately trying to conceal.

My gaze locks onto Valentin, narrowing. “So, why were you late?”

Valentin falls silent for a moment, then exhales emphatically. “Working.”

He brushes his hand across his face, avoiding any eye contact with me, as if it’s possible to escape the weight of my question.

I gently close my eyes, releasing a quiet sigh.

He takes my hand, softly kissing my knuckles. “I’m sorry I was late. I got here as fast as I could.” Looking into his eyes, I see them filled with worry. Fear.

“You arrived just in time,” I tell him, my voice shaking. Something happened tonight before he picked me up.

What is he hiding?

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

VALENTIN

I spit, mustering every ounce of energy I have left, and launch myself forward, delivering a solid blow to Daniel’s jaw. He stumbles into the crowd, his feet slipping out from under him, and crashes to the ground.

Fuck that felt good.

I extend my hand, and he grips it as I pull him back up.

He pauses, his eyes shifting between mine. “Someone’s pissed off this morning.”

I shrug, a grin spreading across my face. “The old man’s still got what it takes!”

“Maybe,” he laughs, helping me cut the tape off my knuckles.

I inspect my cuts on the left hand, making fists and then relaxing them again. “Are you sure you’re not just going easy on me?”

Dropping his grin, he glances down at his feet before looking back up. “I can’t afford any more problems.”

I chuckle, shaking my head. “I didn’t know we were fighting.”

“It’s not like you listen to me anyway,” he smirks and steps closer. “I heard the girl is living here now.”

I don’t bother making up a lie. I have a feeling he knows more than he’s letting on. “Sort of.”

“Nyx called me. He told me Petrov is in town.”

“He came for Lexi last night.” I snap, a hollow feeling settling in my stomach. “That fucking dead motherfucker!”

“Is there anything I can help with?” he asks, concern in his eyes.

The last time we spoke, he was very clear about his disdain for Lexi.

“I figured you’d be eager for your chance to kill her too,” I scoff, but it’s far from a joke.

“I think this whole situation between you two is twisted,” Daniel says, scratching the side of his face. “But you seem happier.”

I glance at the bruise forming under his eyes and gesture toward it. “Does that look like I’m happy to you?”

He runs his fingers over the dark skin beneath his eyes. “I’m talking about in general, not just this morning.”