Page 296 of Vicious Temptation

She missed the artery.

“Show yourself now, or the next one will paint the ground with his brain.”

I draw in a breath and lift my head toward the doorway as a figure moves through the dust.

My heart drops when Remi steps into view, her Glock raised, moving cautiously as she searches the room. Her eyes find Elena first, then the weapon at my head, the explosives strapped across her chest, and finally me.

The second she sees me, she stops, taking in the blood covering my face, the restraints, my shirt soaked through at the abdomen, and the fresh bullet wound in my thigh.

“Remi.” Her name scrapes out of me as disbelief gives way to fear. “Fuck. What are you doing here? You weren’t supposed to come.”

Her eyes meet mine for only a second, then return to Elena.

“We should’ve placed bets,” Elena says. “I bet you didn’t expect her, did you?”

I don’t answer. My attention is on Remi as hers shifts to Elena with the same focus I’ve seen at the range, assessing the gun, her position, and every inch of the vest.

“Careful.” Elena steps beside me far enough to give her a better view of the explosives. “I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re looking for the shot. One clean pull of the trigger before I can put a round through his skull.”

The barrel digs harder into my temple.

“But there’s one problem.”

Elena raises her wrist, revealing a biometric monitor attached to the vest.

“This continuously monitors my heart. If it stops, the vest detonates.”

“Why are you doing this?” Remi asks.

“Because I can. Because some debts are paid in blood.” Elena leans close, her breath against my ear, then slides the barrel of her gun beneath my chin. “And because I’ve been waiting a very long time for this.”

I look at Remi. Her expression tells me she heard it too. Whatever she expected to find when she came here, it wasn’t this.

“What are you talking about?”

“I know you didn’t come alone,” Elena says. “And I’d rather not explain myself twice, so we’ll give them another second.”

More gunfire echoes from the corridor. Footsteps follow, and Kai, Amalia, and Matteo rush through the doorway, weapons drawn.

“Don’t shoot!” Remi warns them. “She’s wearing explosives with a biometric trigger.”

“Well, that didn’t take long.” Elena presses the muzzle harder against my jaw, forcing my head back.

“Remi, get them out of here,” I say. “All of you need to leave while you still can.”

Elena rips the gun away from my chin and drives it across my face. My head snaps sideways, reopening old wounds and spilling fresh blood down my cheek.

“Stop!” Remi moves toward us, but Kai catches her arm.

“Now, Thiago,” Elena says. “You seem to have forgotten something. I’m your superior, so I make the rules.”

“This isn’t going to end well for anyone,” Kai says as he steps in front of his daughter. “So what’s the point?”

Remi pushes around him, refusing to stay behind his back. “Touch him again, and I’ll fucking kill you.”

The words hit somewhere Elena’s gun never could. After everything, some part of my girl still cares what happens to me. I don’t deserve the hope that puts in my chest, but I can’t stop it from taking hold.

Elena grins, her attention turning to Kai.