Page 83 of Ruthless

Sara’s bottom lip trembles, and when she tries to pull free, I don’t let her. Her touch makes me feel more like a man and less like a shadow of who I used to be. I hope mine can offer her even a fraction of the same comfort. I grasp her hand to hold her palm over my heart, and the pulse in her wrist speeds up to match mine.

Angry fire licks through my veins until my entire body smolders. “Who fed you that bullshit? Give me a name.”

Sara glares up at me. “Nobody had totellme anything. It’s obvious, isn’t it? You, Jeremy, my father.” Her lashes sweep down to hide the sheen of tears. “I screw up everyone’s lives.Youknow that better than anyone.”

Her words stir a vehement denial from my very core. How could she believe such things about herself? That she isn’t the treasure I know she is?

Then I realize that she doesn’t need convincing. She needs an opportunity. A chance to prove her worthiness and capability to herself.

Time for a little tough love.

“So, prove me wrong.” I fold my arms across my chest while Sara stares at me in stunned silence.

“What?” She sniffles, but the challenge stirs life in those blue eyes.

“You’re right. No one wants help from a fuck up, so put in some actual effort andshowme what you can do.” I arch my brows. “Or is crying about it supposed to be helpful somehow?”

Her mouth twists, and I swear her jaw clicks as she stabs her finger into my chest. “I’m sorry…effort? All I do is put ineffort. You think my nursing degree just fell out of the sky?”

I clear my throat to cover a laugh before feigning confusion. “But you said it yourself, didn’t you? You fail everything you try.With you raising him, it’s a miracle Jeremy accomplished as much as he did.”

Check.

Sara’s lips part as she fixes me with a half-shocked, half-outraged expression.

Checkmate.

I’ve clearly been training her well during our sparring sessions because the force of the blow rocks me back on my heels. I press a hand gingerly to my face, my ears ringing, my nose stinging like hell. “Damn, Boyd.”

Sara stalks past me, fuming, only to whip back around a moment later, her blue eyes blazing.

There she is.

“I raised Jeremy by myself when I was just barely out of high school. You give that a try and then get back to me. Do you understand how difficult that was?” She drags her hands through her hair and continues ranting. “Of course you don’t. You’re theboss. Everyone caters to you and your every whim like you shit pure gold.”

Choking, I press a fist to my mouth to muffle a startled laugh. Sara’s on a roll, though, so she doesn’t seem to notice my mirth. “Meanwhile, people walk all over me. Maybe I brought it on myself by always bending over backward for everyone and their mother, because I didn’t think I deserved better.”

“If you think that’s the case, then do something about it.”

Sara marches up and gets in my face. “I may not be perfect, but I’m good at my job.Iam the nurse.Youare the organized crime guy. You whack people, and I explain how they got whacked and treat their injuries from the whacking.That’sthe dynamic.”

I’m all too happy to agree. “Okay.”

“There’ssomethingwrong with Jackson’s file, and we need to…wait, what?” She blinks as if waking from a trance, and I lose my battle to smother a smile.

“I said okay. If you think someone murdered Jackson, then look into it and report back to me. I’ll have Luca get you the proper admin clearance so there won’t be any more obstacles in your way.” Crowding close, I lift a lock of her hair in my fingers. “I know perfectly well what you’re capable of,tesoro. You don’t ever have to worry about me notseeingyou. You need me to run interference on this Jackson angle, or you got it?”

She opens her mouth, closes it, then shakes her head. “I, uh, I got it.”

“Good.” With that settled, I return to nuzzling her neck. “I have to confess, I prefer the spitfire over the doormat. You should yell at me more often.”

Incredulous, Sara bursts out laughing. “I’m sure that won’t be a problem.”

I smack her on the ass, squeeze the flesh in one strong hand, and press her against my cock. “Let’s work on that letter for a bit longer and then head to bed.” I drink in her disheveled curls and flushed cheeks. “But first, some sassy vixen punched me in the face, and I need a hot nurse to take a look at it for me.”

I’ll never admit this to anyone, but Marco and I are more alike than I thought.

Chapter 33