Page 84 of Dare To Free Us
Shura was just one man. One crime boss looking to rule a world men like me created and thrived in. There were always going to be others, maybe even worse ones. Just like Arianna said.
I had to get her and my child out. A quick glance at my stomach made me swallow hard, because now I wouldn’t be going with them.
Looking down at my stomach—slightly to the left— the blood was soaking my shirt to the point of dripping. The chance I could make it to medical attention in time was nearly nonexistent. At least it hadn’t hit my liver or I wouldn’t have been standing at all, I would have been dead in minutes. Fatigue settled on me, the weight of it trying to shove me to my knees.
Pressing a hand to my wound I groaned in pain. I just had to hang in there long enough to see Arianna safe and being hid away. To hold and kiss her one last time before death came to steal me from her arms.
Dragging my feet I walked towards the house that was now silent, far too silent.
21
ARIANNA
My ankle boots thudded on the floor but the click of heels was right behind me. My heart raced. Vasilisa was a girl but had already proved to be as evil as her brother. I had no doubt she was just as capable of hurting me.
The sound of gunfire and men’s angry voices carried down the hall like a wind tunnel.Matteo, please be ok.The last I saw of him he was still strapped to the chair amid a sea of flying bullets. I hated abandoning him but I didn’t get much of a choice.
“There’s nowhere for you to run!” Vasilisa yelled at my back.
The hall ended with a grand dinning room that could seat a large party. Not slowing, I leapt up onto the tabletop and jumped to the other side, hoping Vasilisa’s heels would prevent her from following.
I turned as she pulled to a stop on the other side. I imagined she’d be glaring at me but instead an amused smile decorated her beautiful face. For her it was some kind of sick cat and mouse game.
“Arianna,” she drawled. “So beautiful. The first time I saw you I understood my brothers obsession with you. Why he said he’d rather keep you than kill you once the two of you were married. You will make a wonderful trophy to dangle from his arm.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “How can you be like this?” She was a woman, a young one at that. How could she have zero empathy and even less sympathy for my situation? People— me included— tend to forget that women can be just as vile and cruel as men.
“Simple. I am heartless. I saw my father use my mother’s weeping heart against her too many times and knew that would never be me. And just so you know, I sleep perfectly fine at night.”
“Your sick!” I yelled, moving to my right as she walked to my left. “You were getting off on your brother assaulting me.”
Her smile turned up a notch. “Oh yes, I would have loved to see my brother assert his dominance by coming down your throat. To watch the powerful take from the weak. After he kills Matteo and claims you, well, let’s just say it won’t be the last time you have an audience.”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I whispered, shaking my head. This chick was beyond twisted. There was something seriously messed up in her head.
Her arms came up in an easy shrug. “I just am, what I am. My brother and I have always had a special relationship.”
I grimaced.Gross.
Her eyes rolled, accompanied by an exasperated sigh. “Not likethat. Our father expected nothing but perfection from the both fo us. We were always each others support. Vowing to do anything to see the other succeed.”
“And Nico? How will he fit in to all this?”
She sighed again, as if all this was pointless. “Nico is just what I need. A great fuck, in and out of the sheets, and easily persuaded. Make no mistake it will be me running things.” A finger came up to her lips in a quiet shush. “But don’t tell him that,” she finished with a wink.
All I could do was shake my head. Nico was an idiot of epic proportions to believe he had any control over Vasilisa. To think that he meant anything to her other than a play toy and title.
We continued to circle the table, her fingers lightly brushing the wood as she casually walked. “Now don’t make this any harder, I don’t want to have to hurt you. Shura would be upset.”
“You’re insane.” After that little speech she thought I would just give up? The whole thing was scrambling my brain.
“On second thought,” she mused. “If you resist then that will give me an excuse to shoot you and end that little parasite in your belly.”
The blood drained from my face, my heart did a horrible spasm in my chest. Instinct made my hands fly to my stomach as a shield.
That cruel smile tipped her lips. “Shura will be unhappy about losing his leverage but, at least we won’t have to look at the spawn of the bastard who killed our father.” The last words came out with pure venom and a curled lip.
I kept moving to my right, thinking if she got too distracted with herself I would make it back around to the exit and make a run for it again.