“You were dead to me the day I threw handfuls of dirt over my parents’ caskets,” the traitor says simply.
The sound of another person being dragged out catches my attention. One man under each of his shoulders, Ivan is carried into the room as well, though his face is utterly unrecognizable due to the swelling and cuts. Rage burns through my chest.
“You have me. Now release them,” I rasp out, subtly pulling tighter against the binds on my wrists.
“No, I don’t think so, Mikhail. I do apologize for breaking our deal, but it appears every man in this room would like to see you suffer as much as possible.”
I pull harder, flexing every fucking muscle.
“See, here’s what’s going to happen. First, you’re going to watch your whore bleed out at your feet. And then, you’ll watch your best friend receive the same treatment.” Cassio walks over to Ivan, kicking out his knees so Ivan falls hard to the floor. “And only then will I rid you of your meaningless, pathetic life.”
I stop listening to Cassio’s mindless threats, instead locking eyes with my beautiful girl. Her gaze is already locked to mine, worry and sorrow fighting in her face. Then she opens her mouth, and I study it carefully as she forms the three soundless words.
I love you.
It fucking wrecks me.
“Alright, let’s get this show on the road,” Cassio says, picking up a sharp dagger lying on the nearby table and walking over to Cass.
Just the sight of something so dangerous near her beautiful body makes me want to puke.
Cassandra
“Any last words, little girl?”
Fear pounds something fierce through my veins as the bearded man steps toward me, a sharp knife clenched in his hand. My hands remain tied. Every time I flinch backwards, Lev brings me back with a sharp pull of my hair, thin strands snapping under duress. And then, when I think it can’t feel worse, something else overtakes the fear.
I’m suddenly at the mercy of a huge, salty wave of sorrowful grief.
Grief for the rest of my life that I’ll never get to live. Grief for the situation I’m leaving my poor mother in, all alone, without someone to talk to. The children that I’ve always desired, but now I’ll never get to grow and meet. Thousands of future coffee dates with Sophia, laughing too loudly, and trading sips of drinks.
And, most of all, the epic love story Mikhail and I have barely fucking started.
The oddly timed moment of clarity provides me with a strange rush of realization. Some of the things I thought were soimportant only yesterday pale in the glint of the knife. And all the while, the love of my life kneels just a few feet away, eyes glued to mine like we’re the only people in the entire world.
“I do hope everybody enjoys these last few minutes of the Solokov lineage,” Cassio boasts, slamming his fist across Mikhail’s cheek in a blow that makes me wince.
His words have panic inflating my chest. Not only for me, but for the man I love, held just a few inches away.I don’t want him to see this. He shouldn’t have to see this.
“It may have been your father who started this war, but I’ll take solace in ending it with you, boy.”
I plead with my eyes, trying to communicate every word I may never get to say. Cassio turns to me, taking several steps closer.
It’s not your fault, baby. Get out of here, Mikhail.
The knife lifts to the base of my neck, causing horror to flood my system.
“Say goodbye to your bitch?—”
A blast of nearby gunfire shoots out from somewhere upstairs, cutting off Cassio in the middle of his speech. The knife drops. My body, still frozen in a flinch, slowly unfurls.
I search for Mikhail’s gaze, but his reaction throws me off—a small smile peaking through my man’s cocky expression.
“What the fuck is that?” Cassio yells out as the shots sound off closer, and Lev drops me to the floor with a thud to investigate.
Me? I don’t dare take my gaze off Mikhail.
I watch raptly as the shots start to ping off the wooden staircase behind us.
