“Do you love him?”
The question takes me aback. I’ve only known Alek for a couple of weeks. Can I really be in love with someone in such a short amount of time? I know in my gut: I can be because I am.
Dimitri must see it in my eyes because he pulls back. “I can’t trust you to my enemy.”
“So make peace with him. It’s simple. Let my marriage to Alek be an alliance. It can ensure peace. Keep you both in line. But you have to return Nina and Susanna to Alek. You can’t hurt him like he’s hurt you. It will only end in tragedy.”
“I could easily kill them both and then Alek would know how I have felt.”
“Are you really going to kill two innocent young woman just to hurt Alek?”
He hesitates before he sighs. “Fuck. Katya, why did you have to have feelings for him?”
“Why have I changed, you mean? I am not a little girl anymore that you have to protect. I am ready to live my life. I am ready to be outside of my room and I need you to respect that. And if you were smart, you’d make a deal with Alek. You can start by returning Nina and Susanna to him.”
Keeping my eyes on Dimitri, I head over to the girls and untie their binds. They both stare at me in shock.
“I am protecting you two,” I tell them. “I won’t let my brother hurt you. I promise.”
“Why?” Nina asks. “After everything we’ve done to you.”
“Because I’m not heartless. And I have no desire to have your deaths on my hands. I know you two hate me and that’s ok. But I will not stoop to your level.”
Nina stands up and grabs my hand. “Thank you.” I can tell she means it. When I turn to Susanna, she refuses to look me in the eye but at least she’s not being a bitch to me. There’s a shame on Susanna’s face.
“You’re young,” I say to her. “Only sixteen. You have so much life to live. That’s what I’m figuring out for myself. My brother will not hurt you. Right?” I ask him. Slowly, he nods. “So, we can start again. If you want.”
Susanna doesn’t give me a verbal reply but she does finally look at me and there’s an open vulnerableness to her face that I have never seen before. I believe things can change.
And that’s when Alek enters the warehouse, his gun pointed right at Dimitri. My brother sees it and points his gun in return.
And that’s when I move. I run between them right as they fire at each other and pain explodes over my body and darkness quickly invades my mind.
Chapter Nineteen
Alek
The sight of Katya falling to the ground because she was shot will haunt me forever. Both me and Dimitri rush to her side but Dimitri gets to her first.
“Katya?”
She’s unconscious and losing blood fast. Dimitri picks her up and runs to the car. That’s when I notice Nina and Susanna. They’re in shock. I motion for them to follow me and they finally do. I don’t hesitate to follow Dimitri to the hospital. Nothing will stop me from seeing Katya. I did this to her. I shot at Dimitri and Dimitri shot in return and Katya was the casualty.
I almost crash the car in the parking lot of the ER. Nina and Susanna don’t comment on it.
When I run into the ER, I see Dimitri setting Katya down onto a gurney. Nurses and doctors surround Katya and take her into a room. Both Dimitri and I try to follow but a nurse tells us to wait outside.
I slump against the wall. “I can’t fucking believe this.”
Dimitri turns on me with so much anger, it’s frightening honestly. He tries punching me but I dodge out of the way.
“This is your fault,” he hisses.
“You shot too,” I snarl. “It could have been your bullet that hit her. Not mine.”
That seems to sink into Dimitri because he stumbles back, pain in his eyes.
“Let’s just not fight for right now,” I say. “For Katya’s sake. At least, not until we know she’s better.”
