Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 84968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 425(@200wpm)___ 340(@250wpm)___ 283(@300wpm)
That had happened weeks ago and just the memory of it still rattled me to my core.
Ever since then I'd been excruciatingly careful to make sure our paths did not cross again.
And it had worked…until now.
I rubbed my knuckles against my sternum to fight the panic threatening to take hold.
Although it was a risk, I leaned my head forward and hazarded a peek down the marble corridor.
Several men surrounded a man tied to a chair.
The man was blubbering. "He'll kill me if I tell you."
I strained to hear Pavel's response over the rush of blood in my ears.
"Why do I keep hearing those words? Every time I bring in some asshole working for Solovyov, I always hear 'oh, but he'll kill me if I tell you.' Motherfucker, I'm going to kill you anyway. The only thing you get to decide is how much I'm going to make you suffer first."
Kill him anyway?
Oh God. This was so fucking bad.
The men weren't even trying to speak in lowered voices.
They assumed they weren't being watched—or worse, they didn't care.
Either way, I was in serious danger just by standing here.
I was a witness.
Anyone who watched crime shows knew the only good witness was a dead witness.
My vision blurred and I teetered against the door frame, lightheaded from my rapid breathing.
I needed to get the hell out of here.
I was far down the hallway in the shadows, but that didn't mean I was safe from detection.
Just then, Pavel's head swung sharply in my direction.
My blood froze in my veins.
His expression was unreadable, his face cut from ice as his stare penetrated the darkness between us, seeming to claim me even from this distance.
Oh shit. Could he see me?
Only after he turned his attention back to the man in the chair did I dare to breathe again.
Pavel shoved his boot between the man’s legs, then leaned over his bent knee as he flicked open a switchblade. "Tell us where Solovyov is, and I will give you a clean death. Don't, and I call the man who haunts your fucking nightmares, and I tell him about the new toy just waiting to play."
"I don't know," the man cried out in desperation.
In response, Pavel flipped the knife to grip the handle before driving the sharp point into the man's hand. A bloodcurdling scream tore from the man as he writhed in agony, twisting his wrists against his binds.
My eyes widened as Pavel took a step back and pulled a gun from inside his jacket.
Oh no. No. No. No.
He aimed it at the man's head.
Holy hell. He isn't going to—
A gunshot.
Loud.
Deafening.
The sharp crack echoed off the walls, reverberating through my bones.
The victim's head snapped back, a bloom of red exploding across the pristine white floor and the wall behind him. The heavy copper stench filled the air instantly, reaching me even from where I stood.
Horrified shock overrode all sense of self-preservation.
A scream ripped from my lungs.
I stared at the body slumping sideways in the chair, the man's sightless eyes seeming to stare straight at me as a pool of blood formed around him.
In that moment only one thought crossed my mind…fucking RUN!
CHAPTER 2
ALINA
Ispun on my heel and bolted down the hallway.
The slick soles of my worn sneakers squeaked against the polished marble floor, but I didn't care.
I just ran harder, pushing my legs as fast as they could carry me, ignoring the burn in my lungs.
I darted around a corner into the nearest hiding spot—a cramped janitor's closet.
I slammed the door shut, my fingers fumbling to try and lock it, but the stupid lock was tiny and my sweat-slicked fingers couldn't grasp it.
Giving up, I pressed my palms and an ear to the door, desperately trying to hear something, anything, to tell me whether he was out there.
Darkness swallowed me as my heartbeat raced so loudly, it felt like it would give me away.
The air was thick with the acrid stench of bleach and old mop water, the cramped space pressing against me like a coffin.
There was no relief in being hidden, only terror knowing he was hunting me.
It was just a matter of time before he found me.
Tears fell to my shirt as I sucked in deep breaths.
I tried to slow my heart; it was beating too fast, too loud, a bass drum in my ears screaming that he was coming for me.
I pressed a trembling hand over my mouth, forcing myself to stay silent despite the sobs wracking my body.
If he caught me, he would kill me.
If it was just me, I wouldn't care.
I might have even welcomed the release of death, but my poor grandmother depended on me. I was all she had left in the world.
Seconds stretched into eternity.
Then footsteps broke the silence.
Slow. Measured.
A cold sweat broke over my skin.
I stared down at the dim gleam of the silver knob, waiting for it to turn.