Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 541(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
She couldn’t be that stupid.
Ax was on one side of her, Nikolai the other.
What the hell kind of game were they playing?
“Nik.” I narrowed my eyes as he casually crossed his arms like sunshine was sprouting out my ass. His smile wasn’t welcome. Not now. “What’s going on?”
“Missed you.” He snorted. “Found this one hanging out by my jet and asking for a ride.”
“Your jet.” I clenched my teeth so hard that I could have sworn I heard a molar shift. “Ax just happened to be at your jet? With Alice?”
Ax leveled me with a cool stare. “I figured it was wise to give her a choice.”
“You disobeyed direct orders.” I pulled out my gun and pointed it at his head. “I told you exactly what to do.”
“That’s just the thing.” Ax didn’t even flinch. “You told me what to do, you told her what to do, you were doing so much telling that I figured you needed time to pull your head out of your ass and think about it. You’re not gonna shoot me, because you know, deep down, in the darkest loneliest crevice of your body is a tiny little heart that’s beating a bit too cheerfully right now.”
“I will cheerfully end your life,” I roared. “How’s that?”
Ax opened his mouth.
But Nixon silenced him. “I can’t save you from this one, Ax. He’s the new Sinacore boss, tread carefully.”
Alice jerked her head in Nixon’s direction then glanced back at me, tears in her eyes.
I’d chosen her.
But she was looking at me like I had betrayed her.
Like I’d pulled the trigger.
Like I was the reason for her pain when I was the reason she wouldn’t have to experience any.
“Well.” Ax sighed. “Didn’t see that coming.”
“No shit,” Dante said from his spot near the bar.
Chase moved to stand next to me. “Ax go stand guard, we have De Lange associates on their way. I’m sure Andrei will deal with you when he stops breathing fire.”
A few men chuckled.
The Sinacore men watched with rapt fascination like we were some sort of sick crime drama.
“Alice…” Chase stepped forward. “I have a… quandary…”
Fuck.
I moved but Phoenix was suddenly at my side, pulling me back while I helplessly watched Chase circle her like he was going to devour her whole and then use her as target practice.
Nikolai stepped away.
She was alone.
Completely alone.
I locked eyes with her. I tried to tell her to run.
But she just fucking stood there and looked at me like the hero I wasn’t. Didn’t she get it? Didn’t she see? Monsters didn’t save the day.
No, monsters started the war.
Monsters finished it.
She’d officially tied my hands behind my back.
“Oh?” Her voice was strong. “What would you like to know?”
“Your name was wiped from all of Andrei’s records, and since we all know that you were supposedly one of the girls sold to him, then later apparently married to him, I just found it… interesting.”
She exhaled and lifted her chin. “Ask.”
“Ask what?” His smile was cruel.
The bitter part of Chase was making an appearance.
“Ask me what my name is.”
I jerked away from Phoenix and grabbed Alice by the arm. “Stop. Speaking.”
“Protecting her.” Chase inclined his head. “Interesting.”
“I protect what’s mine,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Sergio,” Chase barked. “How you doing on that marriage certificate search? Anything?”
“No.” Sergio’s voice was heavy like he was sad he couldn’t find anything. “No record of any marriage between Andrei Petrov and Alice…” He shrugged. “Though it would be extremely helpful if we had a real last name.”
“Mmm.” Chase nodded. “Try De Lange.”
“Son of a bitch,” I muttered under my breath, then pulled Alice against my chest, whispering in her ear. “Why? Why would you do this? Why?”
I was panicking.
My throat all but closed up as I clung to her, my right arm wrapped around her body, my gun trained on her back.
I squeezed the trigger.
I couldn’t pull it.
I waited for her answer.
And then she whispered softly, “Kill me.”
It was Chase’s turn to curse, like he was surprised that she would ask me that when it was the deal all along, wasn’t it?
She didn’t run.
She didn’t listen.
I tortured myself with the feel of her skin for a few more minutes and then pulled away just as gun shots rang outside.
Ax ran in the club and dove behind a couch shouting. “Twelve! I got two, they have—”
More gunshots rang out.
And then silence.
“We know you have her!” A man yelled. “Just give us Alice and we’ll leave.”
My heart stuttered to a stop in my chest as I stared down at the woman I’d shoved to the floor to protect. Not a chance in hell.
“She’s my cousin,” a deep voice echoed from outside. “Let us take her and we’ll leave.”
“You’re like cockroaches,” Tex yelled. “You’ll just multiply.”
“So? We are no longer a threat. Give us our cousin.”
Alice started shaking beneath me, like the idea of going back to her own family was so terrifying that she’d rather die in gunfire.