Page 76 of Until Death or Defeat

“How far is this ‘friend’ of yours, Maxim?”

“Well, he’s pretty far out, he likes his privacy.”

Yeah, I bet.

We place her coffin on the rolling boards, and Roman and I push them toward the SUV as Maxim goes back to make sure the grave looks undisturbed until we can return later in the night without the night security noticing.

“She must be at her uncle’s by now,” Roman points out as we walk.

“Yeah, I’m not too much looking forward to the inevitable effect this will have on her. She’s a bit in la-la-land thinking this is going to absolve her uncle from any wrongdoing.”

“Well, there’s a small possibility. If the autopsy shows the same as the one I saw years ago, then it wouldn’t be possible that it was him if he was standing beside her. Physically, at least. He could still have arranged it.”

“But if he arranged it, at least I’m somewhat sure he wouldn’t kill Giselle. There’s just no motive,” I say as he and I lift her up, grunting with the struggle of the weight of the coffin as we get it onto the bed of the SUV. “I just feel so hung up on the fact that she was known to be going with her that night. If it was a hit, then whoever did it would have known she’d be there with her mom. Would they have killed her too?”

“Perhaps whoever it was would have left her alive the same way they left her uncle alive?”

“Okay, but again, if it was some...unknown force, why thehell would her uncle take the blame for it and leave the Family quietly? It wouldn’t make sense.”

“Easy, he’s protecting someone,” Maxim says as he catches up to us and finally gets in the SUV.

When Maxim speaks those words, Roman and I immediately look at each other. Is that possible? Because the only one he’d protect is...

“Leo was barely out of high school at that time, why on Earth would he do that?” I ask.

Maxim and Roman go back and forth with their theories, but I’m stuck on this. Leo is definitely untrustworthy, selfish, and scum, but is he bold enough to murder his own family? I don’t think he has the balls.

“It makes sense, I mean, if somehow they were both planning it, that explains it, right? Maybe they had another motive. One we wouldn’t know about.”

I contemplate each one of them as I listen, and I can’t help the feeling of unease growing inside me. Have I allowed her to walk into the enemy’s den? I should have fucking stopped her from seeing her uncle before we had more information, even if it meant tying her up and locking her in the basement to keep her from disobeying.

“I’m sure she’s fine, Leo doesn’t even live with his father, and Robert wouldn’t do anything when people know where she is.” Roman says as he sees me gripping the wheel too tight while they talk.

“Yeah, well, if he does there’s no way we can get to her in time out in the middle of fucking nowhere,” I seethe, glaring at Maxim in the backseat.

“What? There are men with her, she’ll be okay. She’s a big girl, Artem, she can handle herself. You have to start showing her you believe that,” Maxim says as he pats my shoulder.

There hasn’t been a doubt in my mind over the years thatshe can handle herself, but it doesn’t change how I feel. It doesn’t change what Iknow. And at this point I’ve already let myself sink too deeply into her that I can’t just forget her even for a moment. I can’t stop the never-ending fear she’s placed inside me now that she’s mine.

I also don’t appreciate how close Maxim has gotten with her, I have no idea what the fuck she could see in him that she has weekly movie marathons with him and seeks him out often. To top it off, my little brother is the biggest shit-stirrer on this side of New York.

“Don’t speak to me as if you know her better than me,” I say as I look into his eyes through the rear-view window.

“Well, shit, have you even tried to get to know her now that she’s living with us? Asked her any questions? Or do you do what you always do, and bulldoze through her life assuming?—”

“Maxim, I will fucking—” I say as I turn, my main hand leaving the wheel as he laughs and Roman panics and grabs it.

“Okay! Enough, Maxim,” Roman scolds loudly, sighing as I turn back and take the wheel.

When our eyes meet in the rearview again, he laughs at my furious expression and I use my free hand to rip the fucking mirror off of the car and toss it out of the window. “Iknow her. I don’t need to ask her her favorite color or any shit like that to prove that to you. Or anyone.”

“You’re so defensive, you know that’s a sign of guilt, right?” he coos from behind and I glare at Roman looking for his help.

“Why are you winding him up? He’s on edge.” Roman says as he wipes a hand over his face, stressed out from the night and the fighting.

“Because Giselle is just a girl too. Of course she wishes to talk to you like a normal person when she’s so clearly in love with you. Imagine how she feels, Artem, she doesn’t feel likeshe has anyone stable besides us three anymore. She’s upset about her brother and father, her cousin is away on vacation with her mom because of their drama, and her best friend has been ditching her for her boyfriend, too.”

“How do you know that?”