Page 143 of Mafie Queen

“We do all have a say! That’s why there was a vote!”

They have been going at it for a while now, both fighting to get their points across to each other. I can see it from both sides, all of their points are valid. But, at the end of the day for me, it came down to showing Evie I trust her. Damien needs to do the same.

“So my feelings don’t matter here?” he asks.

“Of course they matter, they just don’t get to dictate the whole plan!”

He puts a finger in her face and I step forward. Damien notices but doesn’t take his eyes off of her as he backs up and shakes his head.

“I can’t look at you right now.”

Hurt plagues my princess as he walks away and opens the door to get into his car.

“So that’s it? You’re just running away?” Her voice breaks as I approach her side, taking her hand in mine. I try to push feelings of love and comfort through to her, but it is like she hasa wall around her emotions. I glare at Damien as he keeps his head down.

“I’m not running. I’m driving.”

Evie flips him off, but he still doesn’t look at her as he gets into the car.

“I need time, Little Shadow.” His voice is hollow. I clench my free hand into a fist over his tantrum. We are all allowed to have feelings, but leaving is not an option. Not with our wife or our family. We don’t leave each other.

My ears are still ringing, and my frustration is at an all time high. Damien had been doing so well, helping us all and creating nifty ways to get what we needed. However, when he raised his voice at my princess and she flinched, I thought I would murder him.

He gets on me all the time for yelling in an argument, but when I tried to have him stop, he only yelled at me too. Damien hasn’t been able to be near any of us since. In fact, he got a call shortly after and left to go back to the house in the tower.

After last night, none of us expected him to show up today, but he did. Evie is upset about the whole thing and has tried to talk to him, but he shuts her down and walks away.

It makes me furious to see her face fall the way it does, or worse, to see the anger he starts to display towards her today.

Evie tries to help in combat with a few of the women, but Damien blocks her out and makes her leave. I take her hand in mine while Lev talks to him because I likely would have just shot him.

“It will all be over soon,” I say, hoping it can bring some comfort.

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

I spin and turn her to me. We planned to go help with Mac, but I think everything is starting to get to her. We had to cancelmy father's funeral because of her paranoia. While I do not blame her, she is not acting like herself and it worries me.

“Princess, do we need to change the plan?”

She shakes her head, but I can see what this really is. She is terrified. I hold her close for a moment before taking a step back.

“Give me a minute?”

“Yeah, I think I need a shower.”

I watch until she disappears into the bunker as the door seals shut behind her. Taking a few deep breaths, I make my way back to the combat arena.

Without a word, I walk right up to Damien, who is still arguing with Lev. Grabbing him by the neck, I throw him down on the mat, my body landing firmly on his. He glares up at me, flipping our bodies easily, but I am up before he can roll me onto my back underneath him.

“I thought you had grown up,” I spit at him. “I thought you were willing to do whatever it takes for her.”

“I am,” he growls. “I’m planning to do everything asked of me. As always.” His words drip with sarcasm.

I fake left and he falls for it, giving me an opening to land a hit to the right side of his ribs. Air whooshes from his lungs, but he slips back before I can get another strike in.

“Do you guys need the room?” Havoc asks.

“No,” I reply. “This will be over in a minute.”

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