Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 66833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
What the fuck did I just walk in on?
Why is there so much blood on her hands and dress?
Who is the dead man on the floor?
If he hurt my Alinyonok in any way, I’ll fucking kill him all over again. Him and—
“Is she okay? Give her to me.”
Fuck. Valery. I’ve forgotten all about him and Ruslan.
Alina doesn’t seem to have registered his presence yet, so I turn with her in my arms, keeping her back to Valery, and mouth to Ruslan, “Get rid of him.”
My brother nods and steps in front of Valery. “Let’s give them space.” His tone makes it clear it’s not a suggestion.
Valery ignores it regardless. His voice is pure ice as he demands, “That is my fucking sister. Move aside. Now.”
Alina lifts her head off my shoulder and wedges her hands between us, pushing with all her might. Reluctantly, I let her turn around, though I keep one arm locked around her ribcage.
“Valery?” She sounds incredulous. “What are you…” Her gaze shifts between Ruslan and her brother before she glances up at me with a confused expression.
“Are you okay?” I ask, ignoring the unspoken question on her face. “Did that fucker hurt you?” I drop my arm and turn her to face me so I can finally examine her. Gently, I run my hands over her, looking for any injuries that might not have been apparent at first glance. All I find is a deep gash across her right palm. It’s still bleeding and will likely need at least a dozen stitches.
“We have to get you to a doctor,” I say as I rip at the hem of my shirt. “For now, close your fist around this and hold tight.” I tie the strip of material around her palm and close her fingers for good measure.
She blinks up at me, her jade eyes swimming with fresh tears. “Alexei…” Her voice shakes. “I killed him.”
“I figured as much.” I meet Valery’s coldly furious gaze across Ruslan’s shoulder. “You hear that, Molotov? You might want to tell your forensic team to hurry up and get here ASAP—unless you want me to call in my guys.”
Valery’s mouth flattens. “My people will take care of it. Now give me my sister. Alina, step away from him.”
Not a fat chance in hell. I grip her arm and pull her against me as she turns to look at her brother. “She’s not going anywhere.”
Valery makes what seems like the smallest movement, yet suddenly, there’s a gun in his outstretched hand, pointing straight at Ruslan.
I clench my teeth, equal parts pissed and reluctantly impressed.
He’s fast with a weapon. Maybe as fast as I am. Also, so much for frisking him and his brother at my penthouse. Like me, he’s been armed all along and hiding it.
“Step away from her,” he repeats grimly, and I make a show of letting go of Alina so I can ostensibly get my weapon—but really to provide a distraction for my brother.
The ploy works. With Valery’s attention on me for a split second, Ruslan yanks out his knife and sends it flying at Valery’s face.
Once again, the fucker moves fast, ducking to the side so the blade just grazes his cheekbone.
“Stop!”
Alina’s high-pitched yell freezes me in my tracks. It has the same effect on Valery, though not Ruslan, who uses this new distraction to pull out his gun and aim it at Valery’s head.
I grab Alina and pull her behind me in case bullets start flying.
“Stop this madness!” she yells again, trying to push me aside. “Valery, back off!”
I don’t budge an inch, continuing to shield her even as her brother reluctantly lowers his weapon. He’s realized he’s unlikely to win this fight now, at least not without putting his sister in grave danger.
“That’s right, Molotov, back off,” I say, unable to stop myself from rubbing it in. “Get the fuck out of here and call Konstantin, update him on our lucky find. In the meantime, I’ll take my wife”—I emphasize the word—“back to the clinic.”
What I really want is for both of Alina’s brothers to get on a plane back to Moscow, but that’s unlikely to happen. They’ll want to be here for Alina’s surgery—and for the chance to steal her from me. But they won’t be able to do that, not as long as I’m prepared. That’s why I notified them of Alina’s diagnosis while we were on the way to the clinic: because I knew they’d be coming for us as soon as we left the yacht, and it was better that they understood the situation before they did something to get in the way of Alina’s treatment.
Also, if it were my sister, I’d want to know.
“Yes, go, Valery,” Alina says from behind me, her voice a tad calmer. “Please.”
Her brother stares at me for a long, tense moment, then pockets his gun. “All right. I will see you soon.”