I shook my head hard and damn if a few tears didn’t roll down my cheeks. Six to be exact. Six for each of those men they had slaughtered in cold blood.
I whispered harshly, “Eye for an eye.”
Daniil’s lips thinned, but he nodded, placing the gun in my hand. He tried again, “It’s all right if you can’t do this. I understand. Not everyone can take a life so easily.”
I shook my head. “They would be put on death row for what they’ve done from just what I saw. I can’t ask someone else to do this if I can’t do it myself.” I wiggled my hand holding the gun since he still had his hand on top of it. “Give me the fucking gun.”
Still, he didn’t budge, saying, “You won’t be the same after this. You’ve killed a man before, but that was to get free while you were kidnapped. That’s different than this.” He bent down, capturing my attention since I had been staring at the gun. “Beth, this is different. Let me handle it for you.”
My jaw clenched.
I really thought about what he was saying. Nerves rushed me.
And…I almost gave in. I almost let him do it.
But staring into those fiercely beautiful brown eyes, I saw another pair of brown eyes.
My guard. Trofim’s dark gaze forever gone because two cowards decided it. Like a simple selection between buying orange juice or apple juice. A person’s life should be worth more than that. Their memory should be worth more than me backing down from giving him justice. Albeit, also illegally, but if we went through the proper channels…well, the outcome would be the same. Just a different timeframe and by a different hand.
“Trofim deserves better than me being a coward.” I jerked on my hand with the gun. “I was there. I saw them kill each and every one of my…” I choked and cleared my throat, “…my bodyguards. Now. Give. Me. The. Damn. Gun.”
Daniil eyes darted all over my face, and slowly, he nodded, standing up straight. His thumb clicked the safety off before he took his hand away. The room was silent now, everyone watching our interaction. I took a fortifying breath, willing myself not to break down into tears. All I could see for a moment was Trofim. On the resort, chasing me through the hotel. Ordering my food. In that damn Bermuda outfit on the boat, watching over me. Teaching me Russian words when he was supposed to be working. But, always protecting me.
His head splattered open on the floor of my dad’s church.
His blood and brain matter…all over. Like his life.
I blinked and turned toward Valentina and Bogdan. The guards had already made sure they weren’t armed, and they were now standing against the wall reminding me of prisoners being lined up execution style. Because it was.
Slowly, I walked toward them with Daniil at my side. The guards opened their ranks to let us into the circle. I wasn’t going to drag this out. I asked Valentina bluntly, “You wanted Daniil’s children. Why?”
She was past pleading for her life, and she held her chin up high. “He got my sister killed. I wanted to take something from him as he did me.”
I shook my head, leaning forward, and stated quietly, “Your sister was a whore. That’s what got her killed.” I leaned back, watching her face alter to furious. “Do you have any last words?”
Her lips thinned. “I wouldn’t say them to Daniil’s only whore even if I wished to.”
Her implication was clear. “That’s pathetic.” I took two steps forward so I wouldn’t miss. “Enjoy Hell.”
My hand only shook slightly as I raised it quickly. I thought of those six guards, hoping they were watching this as I pulled the trigger. The jerk in my arm shocked me. I had never fired a gun before. I grunted, taking the blow with my weakened muscles from not having enough food for two months. My muscles were only just back to decent strength.
I had been close enough not to miss.
Valentina’s eyes were forever huge on her face, a thin line of blood trailing down between her perfect black eyebrows from the tiny bullet hole in the middle of her forehead as her dead body tilted, and then slid down the wall.
I quickly stepped back, lowering the gun so she didn’t fall on me. Feeling the blood on my face freaked me a little, but I wouldn’t ruin my bodyguards’ memory by screaming and running away. Instead, I yanked on my ear because I couldn’t hear very well, and turned to Daniil asking, “Do you have a napkin or something?”
I probably yelled it, and he was watching me like a fucking hawk, but he reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief. I snatched it, wiping my face off as I moved over to Bogdan. I really just wanted to get this done as soon as possible, but he deserved the same as her. I asked in what I hoped was a quiet voice, “Why did you do it?”
His eyes were huge on his face, but he sneered, “My wife said that if she didn’t decide to kill you after you had the kids, I could keep you as a pet.”
I had stared at his lips, only faintly hearing him. I was positive that was what he had said. I gritted my teeth, feeling Daniil vibrating behind me. I raised my gun and aimed. “Do you have any last words?”
“I should have fucked you when—” Last words were overrated.
I pulled the trigger, bracing myself better this time.
I still grunted at the way it jarred my shoulder. This shot hadn’t been so clean since I had been in a hurry. His nose was split open where the bullet had gone in. But he was still dead as he fell to the ground. I stepped back and banged into Daniil.
