Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92160 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Rodion doesn’t let him finish. He delivers another brutal kick, this one to the spine. Yaroslav’s body jerks violently, and he screams.
I exhale through my nose, shaking my head, then press my heel to his chest, crushing him to the ground.
My hand moves to my belt, where the weight of my knife rests.
My phone buzzes.
Rodion’s foot pauses mid-strike.
I glance at the screen. Anissa.
Rodion smirks. “Perfect timing.”
I get off Yaroslav. Rodion takes my place, kneeling on the son of a bitch, a knife to his throat.
“Move, and I’m gonna slice you right here,” he says, tapping the tip of the blade right over the man’s heart. “That way, you bleed. Maybe even get to see a little of your own blood before I leave you for him. Unfortunately, this isn’t my kill to make.”
When I answer, my voice shifts—gentle, something softer.
“Everything alright?”
On the floor, Yaroslav whimpers.
Rodion sighs and stomps on his ribs to shut him the fuck up.
Anissa’s voice is trembling. “Hey. Everything’s fine. Cillian’s crazy.”
I lean against the table, eyes never leaving the battered form of the man who abused her. “What’s up, love?”
“I just… I need to talk to you when you get back,” she says softly. “I wanted to hear your voice.”
There’s something in her tone… hesitant. Fearful.
I don’t like it.
“I’ll be there soon, baby,” I say, my voice smooth, as if I’m not currently standing over the beaten body of the man who hurt her.
Rodion kicks Yaroslav again, and he hisses out a breath.
I press a finger to my lips, signaling for silence.
Anissa exhales. “All right. Just… be careful.”
I smile, warmth creeping into my tone. It’s for her that I’m here.
“Always, little witch. I’ll be home soon.”
Rodion looks over at me and shakes his head. “Wow.”
I end the call and don’t ask him to elaborate as I slip the phone back into my pocket.
A switch flips.
All softness is gone.
The predator is back.
Rodion cracks his knuckles. “Back to business?”
“We can’t prolong this. I need to get back to her.” I crouch beside Yaroslav, grab him by the throat, and squeeze just enough for panic to set in.
“Look at me.”
His swollen eyes flicker open, dazed.
I lean in, my voice low, deadly. “You put your hands on her. That was your first mistake.”
I pull my knife free, running the tip along Yaroslav’s jaw, not slicing through flesh. Yet.
“Your second…” I drag the blade lower, pressing it just under his sternum.
“Thinking you’d fucking get away with it, you son of a bitch.”
Yaroslav sobs, blood and snot running down his face.
“Please—”
I drive the knife into his gut. He howls.
I twist the blade. Slow. Precise.
I hurt him. I’ll kill him now. I’ll own this.
I watch the light start to fade from his eyes.
In a whisper, I deliver the final words he’ll ever hear.
“She’s mine now, you son of a bitch. Go to hell knowing that I don’t ever share.”
I twist the knife again.
“This is your payment for what you did to her. No one will ever hurt her again. Especially you.”
I pull the blade free, and Yaroslav chokes and gurgles. Blood splashes on my hands before I go still.
I wipe my knife on his shirt and stand.
Rodion exhales, cracking his neck.
“Well, that was satisfying. I think we were too easy on him.”
“Definitely. But I need to get home to her.”
I slip the knife back into place and pull out my phone.
Anissa is waiting. I left her safe, but I want to see her with my own eyes.
“I’ll call for cleanup. Let’s get you home to her,” Rodion says.
I nod and dial her number.
This time, she doesn’t answer.
The phone rings. And rings.
Why the fuck isn’t she answering? I just talked to her.
I pull up the security footage of my estate on my phone.
Everything looks normal.
I’m just about to shut it off when I see a car in the driveway.
Not mine.
I zoom in.
“Rodion, who the fuck is this?”
I call my head of security. He answers on the first ring.
“Sir?”
“I just tried to reach Anissa, and she didn’t answer. Is everything all right?”
“Yes, sir. Your mother is here for a visit. She said she couldn’t get the door to work, so I let her in.”
A chill skates down my spine.
I meet Rodion’s eyes.
He looks at me and stands up straight.
“The fuck?” he asks.
I changed the locks on my door so my parents wouldn’t get in but failed to tell security.
Shit.
As far as they know, my parents are allowed on my property.
And Anissa isn’t answering the phone.
Rodion shakes his head, and every piece of the fucking puzzle clicks into place.
Like a gun cocking.
My brother betrayed us.
But what if—
What if he wasn’t the one behind it?
We have to get back.
Fuck.
I’m an hour out.
Fuck.
Chapter 27
ANISSA
I packed a very small bag.
One shirt. A knife. My skincare products, the crystal he bought me. No matter how much the need to leave feels urgent, I can’t seem to rush the packing because I don’t want to go.