Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83818 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 419(@200wpm)___ 335(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
"I told you what the consequences would be if you betrayed me. You provided me exactly what I needed, little sister. A way in to the Romanov family. Thank you for that," he says with a smile.
What is he talking about? I feel half-sick.
“I promised you this, didn’t I, Renata? You’d watch me destroy everything you love— slowly, painfully—and now look at you. You handed me the perfect opportunity. It’s almost like you wanted me to do it.”
A blade glints in his hand. He’s holding me to him as he addresses Ollie. “I saw what you did, Romanov. Now you can have a taste of your own medicine."
"No!" I scream. Where is everybody? How are we at the Romanov estate, and it's just me and Ollie in a standoff with Carlos and one of his men? There should be guards, his other brothers, anybody.
Carlos advances on Ollie.
I still have the slim knife Ollie gave me tucked in the back of my pants so I could retrieve it if need be. This is my opportunity. My brother doesn't consider me a threat yet.
He will soon enough.
I slide the slender blade down my arm and feel it hit my fingers. I try to do it as quietly as I can, all while trying to distract Carlos. “You were never like this!” I scream. “Our father would be disgusted with you!"
I go on about tradition, loyalty, all the while sawing at the zip tie. He fastened it lightly, it's not hard, I just need more time. Out of the corner of his eye, the masked man holding Carlos looks at me. He sees what I'm doing. Shit. I wait for him to give me away, but he says nothing. What the hell?
It all happens in seconds. Carlos springs at Ollie as my binds come free. I keep my hands together so he doesn’t see that I’m freed and eye my canister where it fell to the floor. Carlos is standing with his back to me. I stand still, pretending that I am still restrained.
"You fucking asshole," Carlos says with fury to Ollie. Ollie’s still restrained, so Carlos easily decks him. Ollie’s head snaps back, and blood spurts from the corner of his mouth.
No.
I can't take this anymore. I will not see him hurt Ollie.
In one quick movement, I grab the canister from the floor and lunge at him. I push him from behind, and when Carlos twists, I do exactly what Ollie told me to—I kick him between the legs. My foot meets its target with sickening accuracy.
My brother howls, and when he falls to the floor clutching himself, I pull the trigger on the spray. This time, I don't miss.
My belly twists with nausea, but I keep at it. I pull the trigger again and again until my brother is screaming in agony and writhing on the floor, one hand between his legs and the other at his eyes.
“Help me!” he screams at the man holding Ollie, but the masked man does nothing and only watches.
I reach for Ollie as the man holding him lets him go. I stare in shock, ready to defend Ollie, ready to help when all of a sudden, Ollie is standing in front of me smirking. I blink in surprise, but he doesn’t hesitate. It’s like he knew it was only an act, that the man holding him had no ill intent.
“Get back, Renata!” Ollie orders while he picks up Carlos and slams him against the wall. He hits him with an uppercut that makes Carlos scream. I stand back and watch in horror as the only two men I’ve ever loved brawl.
I scream as they punch each other, rolling on the floor. Fists fall like anvils, but Carlos is basically blind, so he lashes out like cornered a wild animal.
It’s a fight to the death, as if his life depends on it, and it fucking does. I know it does. Ollie punches and kicks, and Carlos claws and screams. Knives flash and slice, blood splatters on the floor. Finally, Ollie kneels on my brother, holds his hands above his head, and exposes his neck.
Carlos blinks, still blinded. "No!" he shouts. "You can kill me, but it doesn't end here."
He turns toward me. "They want you, Renata. They want your money.” He shakes his head, and again, I see the boy I grew up with. "I'm sorry, La Sombra Roja… they made me do it, I had no choice.” he says to me, shaking his head from side to side.
Tears well in my eyes. "Don't kill him, Ollie. Please don't, please."
I can't help it. But Ollie stares at me and shakes his head before he wraps a rope around Carlos's wrists.
"He hurt you," Ollie says. “An eye for an eye,” he growls.
That’s when I see the mark Ollie made on my brother's cheek… one that mimics mine. I knew he would get retribution.