“She doesn’t deserve you, kitten.” I sighed. “But I won’t kill her. Not because she deserves to live, but because I actually love you, and hurtingyouis the last thing I want to do.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, trembling in my arms.
“That courtesy doesn’t extend to your father.”
Nothing she could say would save him from his fate. I would savor each of his dying screams.
Alisa bit down on her lip as she glanced at her mother. I sighed. She didn’t even have to open her mouth for me to know she was concerned about Mariya’s pathetic existence. The worry etched onto Alisa’s face was enough for me to grant her wish.
“I’ll make sure Mariya isn’t impacted by his death,” I said reluctantly.
Alisa nodded and another tear tumbled down her cheek.
She’d cried enough tears of pain for a lifetime. I’d spend the rest of my life ensuring she would only cry when I’d overwhelmed her body with pleasure.
“Viktor will never hurt you again, kitten.”
I swiped the tear away and disentangled from her grip. With her soft touch gone, all the anger and bloodlust came rushing back to the surface.
Viktor Solovyov, the cowardly bastard, still hadn’t moved from his position at the wall. He opened his mouth to say something, but immediately snapped it back shut when he remembered the threat about his tongue.
“Please stop,” Mariya said, stepping forward to shield Viktor from me.
“You should’ve said that to Viktor all those times he was beating your daughter.” My fingers tightened on a knife in my pocket.
Mariya flinched at my tone, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground. “Don’t kill him.”
Alisa rushed forward and tried to tug her mother out of the way.
“Mom, we’re safe now,” Alisa said, her voice pleading and desperate. “Dmitri will make sure nothing will happen to you once Viktor dies. We’re finally free.”
Mariya’s lip twisted as she jerked away from Alisa. Alisa grabbed for her again, nearly in tears while begging for her mom to move. Mariya knocked her hand away without even a glance in her direction.
Mariya laid a hand on Viktor’s shoulder, and Alisa’s body hunched forward like she’d been punched in the chest.
“Please, don’t kill my husband. He… he loses his temper sometimes, but deep down Viktor loves us.”
“H-how can you say that, mom?” Alisa’s voice broke as she spoke.
I forced myself not to murder Mariya and Viktor before they could say another thing that would sting Alisa’s soul. But Alisa was finally seeing them for who they were. Maybe she’d finally be able to heal without the blindfold on.
“You’ll understand when you’re older, Alisa,” Mariya said, with a dismissive glance in her direction. “Tell this man not to touch your father.”
“You’re right.Idon’t understand,” Alisa said, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’ve been terrified of him my entire life, but I took his abuse to protect you. I’ve dreamed of slipping poisons into his tumbler of vodka, but I didn’t to keep you safe. We’re almost free, and you want to let him keep hurting us?”
“I love him, Alisa.”
Alisa’s expression fractured. Tears streamed down her face. She hiccuped while rocking back and forth in an attempt to self soothe. But her parents certainly weren’t here to take care of her.
The look in Alisa’s eyes was pure desperation, like she was hoping this could all be a misunderstanding.
“I’ve always known that one day he’d punch a little too hard, or in the wrong spot, and I’d never wake up again,” Alisa said, her voice breaking around the words. “Every time I took your calls, mom, I knew there was the chance that someone would end up hauling my dead body out of the house, and dumping it into the river.”
Even when she poured her heart out, their fucking attention was locked on me.
“I can’t do it anymore,” Alisa said, her shoulders straightening even as I could sense the pain strangling her. “You have to choose: me or him.”
Mariya remained silent as she turned towards her husband.
