“The fuck are you talking about?”
It sickens me to do this, but I swallow it. There’s no room for pride here—not with Kallie’s life at stake.
I move closer. Make my voice softer, warmer. “It’s me you want,” I purr with a hint of seduction. “It’s always been me, hasn’t it?”
Brad’s throat bobs. He doesn’t answer. Instead, his gaze darts down to not-my-eyes.
I force down the disgust that makes me feel and reach for his tie. I play with it, the way he liked back then. “You win, Brad. Here I am. You got me. So let my friend go free.”
A slight flush creeps up his neck. “That wasn’t the deal.”
“It’s the new deal.” I breathe those words softly on his alcohol-soaked lips. “You’re not made to be a father, Bradley. Changing bedsheets, telling bedtime stories? Parent-teacher conferences and child psychologists’ appointments?” I force myself to laugh. “Believe me. I’ve been playing that game for five years. It’s a losing one.”
“And yet, you went to court to battle me.”
“Yes.” I tighten my grip and pull, just slightly. Just enough to make him want it. “Because I liked the man on the other side of it. You know me, Brad—I just can’t stay away.”
It works like a charm. “So, what?” he demands, a little too breathless for indifference. “You’re ditching your own kid?”
“He’s got his grandparents now. No reason we can’t have a little bit of… fun.” I stand on my tiptoes and speak the next part into his ear. “Don’t you want it to be like before?”
I can tell I’ve almost got him now. “What about… that?” he rasps with a hateful look at my belly.
“Yulian wants her.” It’s the first thing I’ve said that isn’t a lie. “Once she’s born, let him take her.”
It costs me everything to say it. Every single goddamn thing. But right now, I can’t afford to think about myself. I’ll do what I have to do.
For both my children.
“Okay.” Brad jerks his head towards Kallie. “Get the girl before I change my mind.”
Maksim rushes to her. He’s got one eye on me, though—always guarding me. “Hey,” he says to Kallie, pulling off her gag. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“No!” she screams. “You can’t do it, Mia. He’s a monster! You can’t?—”
“Kallie, please.” I bite down my tears. “I’ve made my choice.”
I can’t lose you.That’s what I really want to be saying.Please, don’t make me lose you.
But Brad can’t hear me say that. He can’t suspect I’m lying to him. If he gets even a whiff of my true heart, he’ll go after Eli next. He’ll never let him be free.
And I need him to be free.
I need usallto be free.
“No!” Kallie starts thrashing in Maksim’s hold. “No! Mia!”
But he drags her away. Like we always planned. Kallie’s safety—that’s the mission. That’s the goal. I’m secondary.
We exchange one last glance over his shoulder. There’s worry knitted all over Maksim’s tattooed face. Second-guessing, third-guessing. He really doesn’t want to do this, I realize.
But he will.
Because he loves her.
And as he drives away into the night with her, I finally let out every breath I’d been holding.
“Congratulations,” Brad says, too close for comfort. “You’ve saved your little friend.”
