Page 100 of Bleed with Me

“Lucas,” I hissed through gritted teeth, standing before the barrel of his gun. It pointed directly at my face, and he instantly moved it away.

“Thank you,” I said, flashing him a sharp look before turning to Malin. “Just take it.” I waved toward the gun that my grandpa gifted me for my twentieth birthday. “And we can forget about all of this, right?”

“You brought a firearm to my brother’s private event,” he ground out, rage flashing in his brown eyes.

Fuck! The last thing we needed was a furious Malin. I heard stories, too many stories…

“You say that like your family doesn’t carry enough weapons to invade a small country,” I countered, crossing my arms over my chest. My pulse hammered violently beneath my ribs, but I kept a strong front.

“Why do you carry so many weapons, Nina?” he asked casually. “Are you planning on kidnapping someone?”

My eyes widened, fingernails dug into my biceps, while Lucas exhaled behind me as if the world had just ended.

“What?” My brave mask was slipping. That remark couldn’t be a coincidence. He knew I kidnapped his brother.

Jesus Christ!

“The holster is visible through the slit,” he informed me, his eyes drifting lower toward my exposed leg. “Sloppy.”

My fingers instinctively moved toward my thigh, and heat crawled up my spine.

Impossible! I checked it three times before leaving the apartment.

Malin’s gaze sharpened almost unnoticeably at my expression, and I instantly realized the truth.

The asshole was bluffing!

“Remove it,” he commanded, handing my gun to one of the guards before extending his hand toward my wrist. “The bracelet, too.”

“It’s jewelry,” I objected, hiding my hands behind my back.

“It’s a garrote wire.” His tone was almost excited, like a boy with a new toy. “Planning to strangle someone?”

“Depends on how boring the party gets.”

For the first time, real amusement flickered across his face. It was just a speck, brief and gone in the blink of an eye, but it was there. I saw it.

“Take it off, Nina,” he repeated, warning lacing his words. Slowly, I unclasped the bracelet, glaring at him when he nodded toward my thigh. My beautiful knife fell into a plastic box, followed by Lucas’s and my guns.

“You’ll get it on your way out,” one of the men said as Malin stepped aside to let us pass. My eyes shot daggers at him the entire time since he confiscated my toys, but arguing was pointless. Still, I felt as if I was walking naked through Times Square.

“One more thing, Miss Valentino.” Malin stopped me when I reached his level. He leaned down, the expensive cologne hitting my nose, and a hot breath fanned my skin when his falsely sweet voice pierced my ear.

“I hope not to find that hairpin in someone’s eye.” My shoulders tensed, but no threat followed. “Enjoy your evening.”

He stretched his arm toward the ballroom door. I looked at him for the last time; the psychotic glint in his eyes would surely haunt me in my sleep.

“Jeez, he’s nuts,” I exhaled, wiping my sweaty palms on my dress once we were a safe distance from him. Paranoia climbed up my neck. How much did the fucker know?

“Yeah, and you made him smile,” Lucas groaned, all the color drained from his face. “The psycho is preparing us like pigs for slaughter.”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.” He stopped me mid-step, grabbing my elbow. “The mind games. The personal check-up. He waited for us, and…” Lucas paused, licking his dry lips. “He was intrigued.” My eyes widened in shock. “We are so dead, Nina. So fucking dead.”

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Nina