Page 130 of Sinful Wrath

“I don’t give afuck!” Igor pushes off the doorway and stalks toward me.

I hold my breath as he bends down, his face barely an inch from mine.

There’s nothing but cold-blooded rage in his eyes, and I have no doubt that he won’t stop until he’s claimed the lives of Mikhail’s entire family.

My thoughts turn to Bianca and Zara, to Leo and the twins, and I choke back a sob.

It turns out I’m not above begging. It might be too late for me, but I’ll be damned if I let this monster anywhere near them.

“Please. T-they have kids.”

“I don’t give a fuck, sweetheart. If anything, it only makes their deaths even sweeter.”

“Those kids will grow up, and they’ll fucking come after you!” I pull against my restraints, the rope rubbing my skin raw.

“See, that’s where you’re wrong. It seems you’re failing to understand here, sweetheart, so let me spell it out for you. Once I’ve finished taking out Alexei and his band of merry fucking men, I’m turning my attention to the rest of his fucking bloodline. I have no qualms with putting a bullet in the skull of a child, believe me.”

My urge to vomit intensifies.

“You’re a monster,” I whisper.

“I’m no more of a monster than your precious Mikhail. You’d do well not to forget who he truly is, Lucia?—”

A phone rings.

My breath hitches, wondering if it’s one of his men calling to inform him of Mikhail’s arrival.

Igor keeps his eyes locked on mine as he reaches into the pockets of his pants and pulls his phone out.

I do my best to keep my face neutral as my pulse quickens in my neck, but as I watch the color slowly drain from Igor’s face, the last of my hope vanishes.

Without another word to me, Igor turns his back and stalks from the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

At least he left the light on.

I glance over at the tiny window and a hysterical laugh escapes me.

Even if I could get free of my restraints, there’s no way in hell I could squeeze through such a small gap.

I guess that’s why he put me in here.

My only hope is Mikhail, and that thought has another laugh escaping my lips.

If past me could have looked into the future and seen me now, tied to a chair and begging for my life and the lives of those I love, she would have thought me a lovesick fool to land myself in such a position after what I had gone through when I was fifteen.

But I have no regrets.

I’d rather die having loved Mikhail than never having loved him at all.

30

MIKHAIL

The hour is up.

Alexei rallied our men quicker than expected and we’re climbing into SUVs and racing toward the location of Lucia’s necklace as the clock chimes the hour.

I’ve lost count of the amount of weapons I’ve strapped to my body.