Page 41 of Hunter's Trial

“Just couldn’t keep away, could you, Volkovich?” Daniel asks through the lowered partition.

“Just couldn’t do your job, could you?” I snap back, never breaking eye contact from the man’s reflection in the mirror.

“It would have ended better for you if you had just let us handle it.” Daniel says in that same infuriatingly calm voice that he always has.

“Is that what you were doing? Handling it?” I ask as my head tilts to the side slightly. “Could have fooled me.”

Daniel’s upper lip twitches, and I know that he’s irritated with me… but I’m also right.

“Kate is under the best possible pro-”

“Cut the bullshit.” I sit forward and stare at him with clear accusation in my eyes. “If I hadn’t gotten there first, she could have a bullet between her eyes right now.”

Daniel says nothing. Not for a long time and I ease back into my seat quietly. He’s taking me to their headquarters. I spent enough time studying the streets in his area during my various attacks against these men who now hold me captive.

When we arrive and I’m pulled out of the car, I can’t help but laugh at the irony of it all.

My old home. That’s where they’ve chosen to move their operations. Daniel’s men come out and four of them shoulder me into the building roughly, down to the very basement that I kept Alek chained up in all of those months.

I probably sound like a crazy person, laughing my head off like this.

Still, as they chain me up just like I had Alek… all I keep thinking is how I definitely believe in karma now.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

KATE

One hour later

I can’t let Liz go. I don’t want to. Her small arms around my neck haven’t loosened in the slightest. I can hear people talking behind us. Nikolai was carted off in some black van to god only knows where and I was left to stagger back to where Billy’s body is slumped on the ground. Only… my legs gave out.

Everybody is leaving. I’m vaguely aware of the fact that people are being escorted out. I’m sure that the wedding is ruined, but there’s a ringing in my ears that won’t stop. Liz’s tears have sunk into my dress and shoulder, and I think mine have dried on my face. I need to get her somewhere to get her cleaned up. She has her father’s blood in her hair. She’s traumatized for life. She’s never going to forgive me. I’m never going to forgive myself. I need to get her away from here and get her cleaned up.

I can’t move.

I think I might be going into shock. Is that a thing? Is this the sort of thing that people go into shock over?

Helena finds me before Anya does. That’s probably for the best. I’m sure Anya is going to be very mad about the fact that I’ve ruined her wedding. The happiest day of her life and now it’s got a dead body in it. Tainted.

Two men in all black find us right after Helena sinks to the ground beside me. Her dress is going to be ruined with how she’s sitting. Seems like a silly thing to be thinking about as strange men are hauling away my husband’s dead body.

I don’t feel sad that he’s dead. In fact, it’s rather hard to look away from him as he’s being pulled away.

He can’t hurt me anymore.

He’s never going to make Liz scream in fear again like he did today. That is all over and done now. Isn’t it? Why do I feel so hollow? Must be the shock.

“We should get Liz inside, honey.” Helena offers. Her hand hovers just over my shoulder, like she’s afraid or nervous to touch me.

Just as well. I think I might hit the person who tries to pry Liz from my hands.

“Everybody is going inside now, we need to get you somewhere warm at least.” Helena offers again.

“Where are they taking him?”

Helena’s brow pinches. “Taking… who?”

I almost don’t know which answer to give her. Does it matter where they are taking Billy? If he’s placed in some unmarked grave somewhere, am I really going to care? I don’t think so. If I ask her where they are taking Nikolai, will they tell me? Is he just another problem that needs to be solved? Even now as I look at Helena, I can’t help but wonder if she will give a damn about Nikolai’s fate. He wronged her. He wronged all of them. It’s certainly no surprise that they wouldn’t mind if he was no longer a nuisance to them. If they knew what he was to me, would they care?