𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝘿𝙪𝙤 ; 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙎𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [ BOOK 2 ]

FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR; BROKEN BEYOND REPAIR

There was a delicious moment where Michael's face washed blank with confusion, like his brain cogs couldn't turn fast enough to take in the information from his wide eyes. Every muscle of his body just froze before a grin crept onto his face, it soon stretched from one side to the other showing every single tooth.

"Caroline." He breathed.

"I know, I can't believe it either." She mused as she stalked closer to his bed. "I was shot a year ago and only woke up yesterday whereas you woke up the same day you were shot."

He couldn't conceal the smile on his features when Caroline took his hand into her own. "It must be the type of bullets we were shot with."

"John's must have contained the poison to match his ego."

Michael gritted his teeth as he shot up on his bed to place a comforting grip on Caroline's forearm. "I'm so sorry."

"You weren't the one that killed him." She spoke with spite.

He grumbled in regret. "They followed me to his house. They knew I was going to warm him and his family but it was too late. We were ambushed and-and I tried to save him, but he was already dead."

"Michael." Caroline tilted his head which fell to mourn his cousin. "It's not your fault, alright? How were you supposed to save him when you couldn't save yourself?"

"It should've been me."

"No." She growled. "It should have been me. That single bullet would've ended the vendetta once and for all, but now that they know I'm alive, they won't stop until we're all dead."

Michael's jaw clenched, and with sincerity, he laced his fingers with hers. "I know, but I'm always going to protect you."

Her grip tightened as though it were possible. "Your support is bliss right now. Although I can protect myself, it is splendid to know that I am not the only person who has my back."

"Well." He faintly smiled with emotional pain behind his words. "That's what husbands are for too."

"Not when they cheat whilst you are physically unavailable."

"Oh - about that, Caroline. I-"

"You knew about it, didn't you?"

"I tried to stop him." Michael muttered sympathetically. "I told him how you're perfect in every sense, including that you two are married and share child in a world of chaos and that you were still alive, but it was almost as if my words went in one ear and out the other."

Caroline licked her lips and fought back the dam behind her eyes. "Who was it, Michael?"

Awkwardly, Michael frowned. "It's not a matter of one who."

"How many have there been?"

"Countless."

"Anybody I know."

Michael paused anxiously. "Caroline, I-"

"Who, Michael?"

"Tatiana Petrovna, but she's no longer around. Jessie Eden, but I'm positive it's to only get into the political business." He groaned aloud before uttering the next name that would surely damage his companion. "And - um - Lizzie Stark."

Caroline shot up off the bed and stormed towards the door with murder on her mind, until Michael's melancholic voice bellowed behind her, like a symphony warning cries that were met by her devilish smirk, and in that moment, Michael knew that Caroline was back - badder than ever before.