“I’m right here, Uncle.” She cocks her head toward Anton, the move somewhat primal and inhuman. “Did you miss me?”
CHAPTER 44
Anton presses a gun into the back of Knox’s head, his face paling, hand shaking. A scared man is a lot like a scared animal — reckless, unpredictable, ready to do just about anything to survive.
“You don’t seem too happy to see me.” I step a bit closer, and Knox lets out a grunt as Anton shoves the muzzle of the gun harder into the back of his skull. He lifts his blue eyes to me. There’s rage there, but as he runs his eyes over me, I know it isn’t for the situationheis in. It’s because of the oneIam in. He appears mostly unhurt aside from the cut at his temple and fat and split lip.
“It’s over Elena,” Anton’s hand trembles, and behind him, Cade closes in.
I had no idea what to think when Cade told me the plan. And it worked, of course, but there were so many things that could have gone wrong and still could. I have his men at my back, ready to fight this war with me. They met me before I stormed the house, making Anton and his men believe I was alone.
I’ve not seen men work the way these guys did. It went beyond simple fighting; it was organized, a dance, and I knew all the steps.
“Is it?” I ask, “How about a deal?”
“I’ll kill him, Elena,” Anton threatens, “You or him! Decide!”
Knox shakes his head. “Do not even think about it, Hellion.” He warns, that accent of his a balm on my soul. I hadn’t realized just how much I loved the sound of it — like warm honey and a shot of whiskey. It rolls through you, coats your veins, settles into your soul.
“You want me?” I ignore Knox. “You let him go.”
“Elena!” Knox snaps.
“You’re outnumbered, Anton,” Cade speaks up. “You kill her, we kill you. You hurt him, Elena hurts you. You cannot win.”
“You’re a fucking traitor!” Anton spits at him.
“No,” Cade chuckles. “I just played a game. It isn’t my problem if you can’t keep up with the rules.”
“So how about that deal, uncle?” I purr, fluttering my lashes, “I’ll even give you a chance. Your men are dead, you sent all the others away, you really don’t have much choice.”
I see a flicker of pride in Knox, but again, I keep my focus on Anton. I can’t risk his life.
It’s simple. I cannot live without him.
“What deal?” Anton spits.
“I’ll give you a three-minute head start,” I tell him. “You let him go.”
Pulling out the cell Cade gave me, I open a timer, finger hovering over the start button.
“You’ll kill your own uncle? The last of your flesh and blood?”
“Don’t try that bullshit with me,” I snap at him. “Do we have a deal? Three minutes is an awfully long time, Anton. You might even have a chance.”
“Elena,” My uncle’s voice shakes, “Let’s just —”
“One.” I hold up a finger.
“We can sort this out, we’re family.”
“Two.”
Knox chuckles in his chair, and part of me wants to smile at him. Because he knows. We’ve fucking won.
I open my mouth to count the final number, but my uncle bolts and I hit the button on the timer.
He shoves past me and out the door, slipping on a puddle of blood that stains his obnoxiously pristine white suit. I rush over to Knox, moving to the rope, but his arms come around me, pulling me onto him. His face buries into the side of my neck, and he holds me so tight, I almost can’t breathe.
