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“Because I don’t tr–” I know what she is going to tell me. “–trust you, you piece of shit.”
“Get fucked, Lana.” There is nothing else I can think to tell her.
“Now that I’m not with you, I certainly will.”
Did I hear that right?
“I don’t fucking care what you do, because you are going to die. Do you und––”
“Your mother would be so ashamed of you, killing the woman you love.” Lana’s words don’t strike a chord. They tear right through my heart.
Her forte is breaking down people with her words, and she did it to me in just seconds. She knows mentioning my mother in that way would break me down. My mother would be ashamed because even though Lana betrayed me, she wouldn’t let me kill her. That would make me like my father, and she never wanted that.
Uvijek pazi ljude koje volis.1
That one sentence makes me remove my hands from her throat and take a step back. With the distance between us, clarity resumes. But so does my pain.
I’m in pain, and I find myself not being strong enough for her psychological mind games. Lana is categorically the best assassin I have ever had the displeasure of knowing.
She knows what she’s doing.
“Mentioning my mother just saved your life, but I won’t be so kind next time,” I promise her. She crosses her arms and gives me a stupid grin. Lana knows she won.
“And what do you think you will do next time? You won’t be able to find me once I’m gone.” Her words might ring true, but not this time— I have a trick up my sleeve.
“You are lucky that I was so obsessed with you,” I tell her, amused. She scrunches her eyebrows, and I see a flicker of doubt in her eyes.
Good.
“Do you honestly believe I’m going to tell you? I don’t fucking trust you, and I never will again,” I tell her in disbelief. Because how dare she assume I am that stupid?
“I’m going to serve your head on a platter and bathe in your blood, Noa.”
“Don’t fucking count on it. You ripped my heart out, and you’ll pay the price for that.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“Oh,” I laugh genuinely for the first time since I entered this hellhole. “Now the real Lana is coming out.”
“She was always here; you didn’t look.”
“You'd better sleep with one eye open, Lana. Otherwise, I might slip into your room and slice your beautiful thighs again,” I promise her. That last part makes her gasp for a split second, and I’m so happy. Even though she hates my guts, her body is longing for my touch.
“If you think I still want you, you've got another thing coming.” It’s like she can read my mind, but I don’t care. I turn on my heel and leave the room. Once I’m out the door, a guard is waiting for me and escorts me out of the house.
I’m outside, and I realize where we are.
The house at the end of the forest, where I chased her the last time. I try not to let those memories get to me. I don’t have the luxury of reminiscing; I have a downfall to plan. When I’m finally returned to my team, the guards hand me over like I’m garbage. One of them pushes me by butting their rifle in my back.
Sara takes my hand and forces me into a van. We’re all here, except for Hana, and we leave.
Finally.
1. "Always look out for the people you love" in Bosnian
Chapter two
Noa
