“Have it your way.”
The barrel hovered inches from my forehead.
His finger tightened on the trigger.
And something strengthened inside me.
Not fear.Not submission.
Something sharp.
Something wild.
Something that felt a hell of a lot like freedom.
I wrenched my body sideways at the same second he fired.The deafening crack detonated beside my ear, splintering the hardwood floor inches from my skull.The recoil rocked him back just enough for me to shove upward, scrambling out from under him as he swore and tried to adjust his grip.
My hands fumbled uselessly against the floorboards until my fingers brushed something cold.
Metal.
His knife.
I lunged for it, my breathing ragged.
But before I could, Victor grabbed my ankle and yanked, sending pain tearing up my leg.I crashed forward, my chin slamming into the floor so hard stars burst across my vision.Still, I refused to give up, my nails scraping wood as I reached for the handle.
“Ariana,” he growled, dragging me back.“Enough.”
But he didn’t understand.
Enough happened years ago.
Enough was the last time he carved the wordwhoreinto my skin.
Enough was when he made me believe fighting was pointless.
I twisted, kicking with every ounce of panic-sharpened strength I had, my shoe striking something solid, but it barely slowed him.He launched himself at me, his weight crushing down on my hips, my ribs, pinning me flat on my back.
His breath was hot and furious against my face, his teeth bared, eyes burning with that same look of possession he’d always had.
“I told you,” he panted, his hand moving to my throat.“I always win.”
His fingers tightened.
The pressure was instantaneous.Brutal.A vise around my windpipe.
Air shredded in my lungs, what little was left escaping in an ugly gasp.My back arched, body thrashing on instinct, but he adjusted his grip, cutting off every desperate, clawing attempt at breath.
Black dots obscured my vision like falling ash.I gripped his wrist, nails digging in, trying to pry him off, but he only squeezed harder.My chest burned, every muscle screaming for oxygen I couldn’t reach.
Maybe he did always win.
Until now.
Because even as my vision dimmed, even as the edges of the world blurred and curled inward, I felt something crack open inside me.Something fierce.Something Henry couldn’t teach me, but something he helped me uncover.
I was a warrior.
