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CHAPTER10
LEON
The sound of a fist thumping against my living room door followed by Konrad’s deep voice has me reaching for my gun as I stride across the bedroom. Thirteen and Christy look over at me, and I shake my head.
“Stay here.”
Pulling open the door to my bedroom, I cross my living room, clicking off the safety. If Konrad thinks he can come here and take Christy from me, he can think again. The motherfucker can’t have her. I’ll shoot him dead before I see him hurt her.
“Brother, open the door!” Konrad repeats, pounding his fist against the wood. The door rattles in its frame as I reach for the handle, curling my fingers around the cool brass.
“Leave before I put a bullet in your brain!” I grind out.
“I’m not here for Zero. It’s Renard…” he pauses, and I hear a muffled sob. Is that Nala?
“What the fuck’s wrong with Renard?” I ask, still refusing to open the door despite her tears and a sudden feeling of dread.
“He’s… He’s sick,” comes Nala’s quiet reply.
“Fuck!” I swear under my breath.
My fingers tighten around the doorknob. Turning it slowly, I step backwards and as the door swings open, I raise the gun and point it directly at Konrad’s chest. “What do you mean, he’s sick?” I ask her.
Nala looks between us then past me. I know without looking that Thirteen and Christy have entered the room. “Go back into the bedroom,” I hiss, my muscles tensing as my finger presses against the trigger. One false move from Konrad and he’s dead.
Leaning against the door frame, Konrad folds his arms across his chest. “Brother, there’s no need for dramatics.”
“Move one more inch towards her and Iwillkill you.”
“Like I said, I’m not here for Zero,” he replies, meeting my gaze before looking over my shoulder. I’ve no doubt where his attention is focussed. I can see how his eyes flare with interest, with lust, with fuckingneed. “But I will say good afternoon to you.” His voice lowers as he dips his head respectfully then asks: “How are you feeling, Zero?”
Christy laughs sharply. “Like I was murdered then brought back to life.”
Konrad chuckles in that lighthearted way of his, like this is just another conversation on another normal fucking day. For him, I suppose it must be, but for me, for Christy, for Nala and Thirteen, nothing about this is normal. It never was.
“What’s going on with Renard?” Thirteen asks, approaching us. I glance over at her when she reaches my side. Her expression is one of concern as she reaches for Nala, squeezing her arm.
“He’s getting worse. None of the ointments or tonics that you gave him are working anymore. He’s barely able to stand, let alone speak.”
“He’s that sick?” Konrad asks before I’m able to. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he cares about the old man.
Thirteen sighs. “He’s been sick for some time now. From the symptoms, I believe it’s pancreatic cancer, though I can’t be certain,” she explains.
“You’ve known this forsome time?” Konrad asks, pushing off the door frame as he glares at her. It appears as though Thirteen has kept many secrets from us. A few days ago I might’ve been inclined to punish her for it. Not today. Not anymore.
“I have,” she confirms, unruffled by his anger. “He asked me to keep it between us. Nala only found out recently and he swore her to secrecy,” Thirteen explains quickly.
“What do you need, Nala?” I ask.
“Jakub asked me to fetch Thirteen.” She looks between us both, then to Christy on the other side of the room, guilt shadowing her features. “He’sdying.” Her voice cracks, and her face crumples as she sobs.
Thirteen gathers Nala in her arms and looks at me. I know she wants to help Renard, but she doesn’t want to leave Christy alone with me either. She doesn’t trust me yet. She’s right not to. Being so close to Christy, wanting her so fucking desperately is forcing me to dig deep, to remain strong. I should never have kissed her, but now that I have, it’s only compounded my feelings, making me want more than I have any right to. Despite that, I’m still a man who is used to taking what he wants, and I’m not sure how much longer I can hold myself back.
I’m a fucked in the head. I know that.
“You should go,” I say, gun still aimed at Konrad’s chest as I address Thirteen.
She hesitates, chewing on her lip. “I want to help, but the only thing I can do now is make him comfortable so he isn’t in any pain.”
