But now Eduard was standing, Evelina clutching at his jacket sleeve. He motioned quickly, no words spoken, and the unusually large faction of Bratva soldiers also rushed forward, easily and quickly overpowering Viktor’s men.
I stopped running abruptly, confusion overpowering my desperation. I’d expected Eduard to order our men to restrain me. Hold me down. Keep me still so that Viktor could finish me.
But this…what was happening?
“What…” Viktor sputtered, taking a step to one side and closer to his own men. Katya was peeking from behind him, her eyes searching desperately until they locked onto my face. I smiled at her, trying to show her that it would all be okay, though not a single cell in my body believed that. “What is the goddamn meaning of this, Eduard?” Viktor practically screamed, spittle flying from his mouth to fleck against his lips and chin.
“Viktor, I am afraid that Evelina and I can no longer bless your union with our daughter.” Eduard spoke clearly, evenly, never raising his voice above normal level.
“What the fuck do you mean you can’t bless our union? We had an arrangement. Katya is already mine.”
“This has all been a mistake, Viktor. You must see how ugly this has become. It is better for us all to cut ties and walk away.” Eduard waved a hand, as if this was the easiest conversation in the world. No hard feelings, no bad blood.
He was giving Viktor a chance at peace, I realized.
“Katya is mine,” Viktor repeated. “I do not lose things that are mine.”
“Katya isn’t a thing!” I shouted angrily, stalking forward. It was Alexander’s arm that stopped me, shooting up as a muscled barrier to block my path.
Viktor turned, reaching behind and grabbed Katya’s wrist. He yanked her forward brutally. She whimpered and hit him with a fisted hand, her features contorting into anger.
“Let me go.”
“That’s never going to happen,” he growled back, yanking her towards his body and smashing his mouth against hers. She fought wildly against him. The Katya I’d known and loved for as long as I could remember coming back to the surface.
Eduard took a step forward, and I was reminded of the man who’d taught me about not only the art of negotiation, but also the art of punishment. Of violence, when violence was necessary.
“You will let my daughter go, Viktor.” Again, the Bratva King kept his voice even, neutral. One more chance to end things without bloodshed.
And Viktor complied. Pushing Katya away sharply so that she fell backwards, her body landing on the sands below. Now, Alex couldn’t hold me back. I pushed past him, rushing towards Katya and falling to my knees at her side.
I leaned over her, covering her body with my own, protecting her from any brutality Viktor might seek to inflict.
“This is your doing,” the jilted fiancé barked. I looked up at Viktor as Katya’s arms wrapped around me and she hid her face against my chest.
I watched as he reached beneath his own suit jacket and then pulled his hand back out, fingers curled around a Glock with custom grips.
Viktor directed the barrel down at me and Katya and I shifted to place myself completely between her and the bullet that was coming our way.
Because Viktor wasn’t just threatening this time.
His trigger finger was moving into place. His expression was wild and wrath flowed through his veins. He wasn’t going to show mercy.
“Viktor, put the gun down. I do not wish this to become uglier than it has to be.” Eduard’s voice was finally losing its neutrality.
But Viktor wasn’t listening.
He was only focusing on two things now.
His gun.
And his target.
He pulled the trigger just as Eduard yelled for our men to subdue Viktor.
Evelina screamed.
And a sharp, scorching pain ripped through my upper chest.
