Page 189 of Dark King Daddy

“Stay there.”

He aimed through the doorway at Daniil’s chest.

I stopped struggling.

The gun was steady. That was what frightened me most. Oleg wasn’t shaking. He wasn’t frightened. He could pull the trigger without needing to gather himself first, and Daniil was standing in front of him with nothing in his hands.

“Your captains are refusing to hand over the yards,” Oleg said. “So are the Orlovs.”

He ended the call without taking his eyes off Daniil.

“My father has your resignation. They’ve seen it. They’re telling him it means nothing.”

Kostya’s fingers tightened painfully.

“You told them,” Oleg said. “Before you came here.”

“Let her go.”

“You think you can make a fucking fool of us?”

“I think you agreed to release my wife.”

“Come inside. We’ll see what your men say when it’s you on the phone. Or . . . I could kill you?”

I looked at Nikita. He hadn’t got out. He was watching us, his face still, and for a horrible moment I wanted to scream at him to do something.

Then I felt Kostya shift behind me. Keeping me in the doorway. Keeping hold of me while Oleg pointed his gun at my husband.

They couldn’t do anything while he had me.

Daniil looked at the hand on my arm.

“You’re hurting her.”

Kostya said nothing. He didn’t loosen his grip.

“Let her walk to the car,” Daniil said. “You can keep the gun on me. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’ve finished negotiating.” Oleg took another step back, making room for him to enter. “Inside. Now.”

Daniil’s eyes met mine.

I knew he would do it. Whatever he had told his captains, whatever he had hoped would happen here, he would walk into that garage if it meant they might let me go.

I couldn’t watch my husband die.

Beside my foot, the brick held the steel door open.

I looked at it.

The door opened outwards. I was outside it. Oleg was inside, aiming through the gap.

If I could shut it, he would lose sight of Daniil.

Kostya was still in the way.

“Take her back to the office,” Oleg told him.