OtherSide Of Fear (Outside The Ropes #3) Read Free Page B

wanted.” He opened his hands wide and looked back up at me with a slight smile. “But it’s not. I’m gonna talk to Viktor tomorrow and make sure.”
    His smile, even as small as it was, twisted the knife in my stomach. “So that’s it? You’re going to just hop back in with them after all this time? You told me you were done” I was scooting away from him, panic tripping my heart.
    “We both knew this was going to happen, that I couldn’t be out for good. I’ve done too much, know too much. It was only a matter of time.”
    My head was shaking, denying his words. “I didn’t know that. You didn’t say that.” Tears stung my eyes as I rose to my feet. “We came here, to New York, to get away from them.”
    Looking around the room at our beautiful space that I had been so happy in only this morning made me sick. I wanted to take a bat to it all. I gripped my hands to keep from reaching for the lamp.
    “You said you’d stick around no matter what, even when I was in.” He rose to his feet, a quiet desperation in his voice.
    I closed my eyes against the look in his. The accusation in his tone was enough to crush me. That wasn’t what this was about, and he wasn’t going to twist this on me. Meeting his gaze, I put steel in my words. “I never said I was going anywhere.”
    Worry fell off of him, and he stood up taller with the release of his breath.
    I put my hand up to keep him from stepping closer to me. “But I don’t want to be lied to.”
    “Fuck. I…” He ran his hand over his hair, pulling at the tips, making it stand up in spikes. “I didn’t want to lose you. We just got married. I didn’t want to tell you she was contacting me and scare you off or keep you from fighting tonight.” He looked at me through his thick eyelashes, head ducked low. “You did great tonight, babe. You looked so fucking happy in that ring. I wanted to see you like that again, it had been so long.” His voice was low and rough, and I knew what he was doing but didn’t resist as he stepped closer to me and slid his arm around my waist. “I didn’t know she’d be so insistent, so soon. I was going to tell you, I promise.”
    I wanted to stay mad. I was still mad, but I was also scared and needed his comfort. A storm of thoughts and emotions flooded me, and I didn’t know how to stop it. But he eased the chill of fear, so I leaned into him, resting my forehead on his chest.
    “But do you have to do this? What’s going to happen tomorrow?”
    “Tomorrow, I’ll meet with Viktor and see what the deal really is, what this all means. Alessandra said Anatoli will be getting out soon; it’ll be better if I get my position in before then. I’ll find out more and tell you when I know. I don’t know how much power they’d give her, if any, but I’m not taking orders from her.”
    “So, who is Viktor? Will we be going back to Baltimore to meet him?” I wasn’t sure what questions I should be asking. It felt like I was missing a big one.
    He stiffened slightly, and I braced myself for his words. “Viktor’s in New York. I’ve only met him a couple of times with my Dad. We don’t have to go anywhere, but you’re not coming to that meeting tomorrow.”
    “What?” I stepped away. “You need someone there for you. What if they try something?”
    “They won’t.”
    “She talked about killing you tonight.”
    “Calm down.” He patted the air in front of me, taking a cautious step back into my space.
    I hated how he was patronizing me, like I was overreacting.
    “It’s not like that. They won’t, you heard her. I’m a known name, it would be a big risk to kill me. Plus, I’ve always been loyal.” He tugged my hand, pulling me to sit on the couch next to him. “But if you’re scared that’s even more reason to stay here. I’ll text you, you’ll know where I am. And if something goes wrong, you can go to Dexter or the cops.” He ran his hand over my shoulder and down my arm. “Babe, nothing’s