Escaping The Mafia King

"Speak." Varys sat behind his desk as he watched the man fidget in front of him.

Whatever the news was, it wasn't good. His fingers curled into fists. Would he have to kill Hope?

"It's about her past, her ex." The man ended with a gulp.

Varys closed his eyes as the thought of that monster getting to be with his Hope for even a moment. "Go on," he said with a growl.

"I discovered some hidden hospital records. Well, not even hospital. Her doctor. I managed to loosen his lips." He chuckled.

"I don't care what you had to do to get the information. All I care about is the results. Now, stop stringing me along, and talk."

"She's had some serious altercations with that piece of shit when he's drunk. Broken nose, concussions, fractured orbital bone."

"He hit her?" Varys growled the question out. That pig of a man was going to pay.

That was HIS Hope. His, no one else was allowed to touch her, let alone hurt her. Then again, if that was the case, it was unlikely she betrayed him intentionally.

"Sir?" the squeak of his man grabbed Varys' attention again.

"What?" he snapped.

"You're about to break that bottle, I would hate to have to clean up that."

bottle. The whiteness of his knuckles stood out against the wine bottle. The bottle he'd bought for her in hopes of apologizing and patching things

out of the room. There was only one

his man called from

go over the rest later. I've

from the bed, in much the same position he'd left her before. "What do you want?" she demanded as she dared to glare at

you doing with that abusive

a long story I don't want to get

let him beat you." Varys said it softly but his entire body was

"Do you think I wanted that?" she sneered. The rage radiated off of her in waves that

use you like a punching bag." The words were tar in his mouth. He hated them, and he hated her for making him say

stared at

she was. Anyone else would have had their tongue pulled out for talking to him the way she did. He'd lost many a gossiping maid that way. "You're the god-damn stupid one to end up with

my heart, Varys. Ethan just happened to be there to take advantage of it. But if you had trusted me, if you had let me know you were okay,

him. "I'm sorry, Hope. I didn't know until that night, and once I found out all I could think about was protecting you. I'm sorry I broke

opened her mouth to retort and then closed it as she too sighed and the tenseness in

a jolt through him. How could he ever think about having to kill her? Even if it killed him, he'd keep her safe. "We're both

at him then and smiled and he couldn't help but smile back. "Do I really have to be locked up

to run away from me,

to let Vincent know I was safe. I just left the message through a man that works

much familiarity." Varys pointed out. "I can't let any other man around you. No one that calls