And Alexei is going to kill him.
“You’re not going to touch him,” I say through gritted teeth, hate rippling through me. “You’re not going to hurt Dimitri. I won’t let you.”
Alexei barks out a laugh. “And how exactly are you going to stop me, Vera? You’re pregnant, vulnerable, and completely dependent on Dimitri for protection. And let’s also remember that your father never taught you how to fight. You’re helpless. What are you going to do—fight me off?”
He takes a step toward me. I don’t back away this time.
“I’m going to tell him everything,” I tell him definitively. “Right now. I’m going to scream until security comes running, and then I’m going to tell Dimitri exactly what you just told me. About Konstantin. About the plan. All of it.”
“No, you’re not.” His voice goes cold and hard. “Because if you do, I’ll disappear. And then next week, next month, next year—whenever Dimitri lets his guard down—I’ll come back. And I won’t just kill him. I’ll kill everyone he cares about. Mrs. Kozlov. His guards. Everyone.” His eyes drop to my stomach again. “And I’ll take what’s mine.”
The threat is clear. If I tell, he’ll kill them all but if I don’t, Dimitri dies anyway.
There’s no good option here.
But I’m done being a pawn in someone else’s game.
“You’re assuming I care more about your threats than about doing what’s right,” I tell Alexei. “You’re assuming I’ll let you kill Dimitri just to save my own skin.” I take a step toward him. “But you don’t know me at all, Alexei. You never did. I’m not going to let you hurt him and I’m not going to let you use my baby.” I take another step toward him, watching with satisfaction as he takes a step back. “And I’m sure as hell not going to let you get away with this.”
Quickly, I spin on my heel and run to the door. Once I open it, I’m going to scream so loudly that security will hear me.
“Stop,” Alexei says sharply, as if commanding me. “You’re coming with me.”
I freeze, then slowly turn back to face him. Does he really think I’m going to go with him? “No.”
“Vera.” He takes a step toward me. “This isn’t a request. You’re mine. That baby is mine. You’re coming with me, and we’re going to?—”
“Are you deaf?” I snap, watching him move closer to me. “I said NO. I’m not yours. I was never yours. You never even loved me.”
I wait for him to deny it and try to convince me that some part of what we had was real.
He doesn’t.
“Love is for fools,” he says simply. “But you and that child belong to me, and you’re going to come with me right now, or?—”
“Or what?” I cut him off, and I’m shaking with rage now instead of fear. “You’ll hurt me? Hurt the baby? The baby youneed? The precious heir you went through all this trouble to create?”
He scowls. “Get over here.”
“Fuck you,” I spit, moving my feet so I get closer to the door. “I was never yours,” I repeat, my voice steady despite the terror coursing through me. “And I never will be.”
He moves fast—faster than I expect. His hand closes around my arm, yanking me toward the window.
“Then we’ll do this the hard way.”
Something inside me snaps.
Not fear. Not submission. Pure, incandescentrage.
I am done being handled. I’m done being used. I’m done being treated like property to be claimed and controlled.
I twist in his grip and drive my nails into his face with everything I have. He jerks back with a curse, but I don’t stop. I go after him like a wild animal protecting its young.
Which I suppose I am.
My nails rake down his cheek twice, and I feel his skin tear and warm blood collects under my fingernails.
He cries out in pain, his eyes wild. “You crazy fuckingbitch!”
