Disappointment battles relief as they flood through me. He’s letting me go. It’s a double-edged sword.
I slowly duck through the window, and with one last glance back at him, I pull my other leg through, and sprint into thenight, taking with me the essentials I need to carry out my plan, but leaving behind my heart.
Even though he didn’t ask me to stay, I hope he knows I wanted to. And when this is all over, he knows I sacrificed myself for him.
Chapter 48
Dominic
I watch the silhouette of my wife race through the property, heading towards the gate. With each step, my heart is carried further and further from me.
Despite how much I longed for her to stay, I know she needs to leave. I betrayed her, and now she needs to deal with it in her own way. Without me.
Even though she doesn’t want me, I won’t leave her unprotected. Dropping my gun, I call the only person I know who can track her from afar.
After grumbling about his brothers constantly interrupting his sleep to find their women, Bash agrees to surveil her. Contrary to what I had predicted, my morally-sound baby brother didn’t put up a fight or even scold me for stalking my woman. I worry that we’ve been a bad influence on him.
After that’s settled, I sit in the chair facing the window and stare out of it. Despite knowing the improbability of her returning, I don’t close it in the hope that she does. All throughthe night, I watch the window. And when the sun rises, I head to my office.
At the sight of Vova on my desk, my heart beats again. For the first time since finding my wife halfway out the window, I can breathe. Because if she left her cat, then surely, she’s returning.
I drop in my seat, cat in hand, and pull up all the info Bash sends me. It’s time to see what my tiger is planning.
Chapter 49
Katerina
It takes three days to organize my plan. Three long, lonely days. Three days in a seedy motel, plotting endlessly.
There’s one last step I need to do before I’m ready to kill Viktor. I need to acquire a weapon.
I could easily go to a store and buy a gun. But I want it to be personal. Because this is personal.
Calling the only man who I know will help me, but keep it a secret, we agree to meet in a nearby park. He doesn’t question why I’m desperate for a blade, nor why I refuse to tell his son.
Damien Montclair meets me on the walking trail with a kind smile. He pulls me in for a quick hug, then releases me.
“Should I ask why you secretly need a karambit knife?” His caring tone encircles my heart and squeezes it. This is how a father should talk to his daughter. With care, tease, and slight worry.
The real reason I asked him for a knife instead of buying one is because I wanted some parental love with me to give me strength. Having my father-in-law, who loves me like a daughtermore than my actual father, having his blade with me would be symbolic. A father’s love being the weapon that kills a father’s hate.
“It’s better you don’t know.” I can’t risk him telling Dominic. If Damien knew I was risking myself, he’d intervene.
“You’re not going to kill your husband, right? Because you know I can’t let you do that.” He chuckles teasingly.
“It’s not that. This is something I need to do on my own. It’s been a long time coming.” I can’t laugh with him at the image of killing Dominic. It’s too horrific to imagine.
He slows his walking and turns to me. “Do you need to talk about it?”
After a moment, I realize I do. I need someone to know.
“My mother was a wonderful woman. Fierce and bold. ???? protected me with her life. After a while, it all became too much for her. I never blamed her for her choice because I know who’s really responsible. The promise of avenging her is what pushed me through some of my hardest days. Now that Viktor has crossed a line, it’s time. I know what I need to do.”
“Be careful, dear. This is a tough fight,” he warns.
“I will be,” I lie. I know there’s no coming out of that mansion alive. “This is something I have to do alone.”
He chuckles and puts an arm around me.
