Page 64 of Killer Love

“I’d like to see that!”

“You will!”

“That’s enough!”

We all turn and look at my mother in the doorway.

“Everybody go to your rooms,” she orders. “Get some rest. We’ll work through this in the morning.”

Yuri doesn’t question it. He steps around me and offers a quick goodbye to our mother before bolting with his head down. My father lingers behind his desk, too angry to sit down.

“Where is she?” I ask her.

“She’s in the guest suite.” I move to pass, but she lays a hand on my shoulder. “Leave her be, Luka. She’s had a rough night.”

“I know. I was there.”

“Let her sleep,” she urges. “You wouldn’t want to wake the baby, too.”

“Ma—”

“Spokoynoy nochi, Luka.”

I sigh at her defiant tone. “Goodnight, Ma.”

She squeezes my arm as I move to the door, a silent and subtle show of support, but it doesn’t do me much good right now.

“And you.” She points at Fox. “I don’t know who you are, but I hope you don’t mind a couch because I don’t trust you in the guest wing with Sofia.”

“No, ma’am,” Fox says quickly. “I don’t mind.”

“Good. Come with me.”

He looks at me for confirmation and I nod, signaling for him to follow her. Fox Fitzpatrick has earned my trust for a night, but that’s all. I don’t like his chances of surviving an encounter against Nina Lutrova in her own house anyway.

“Luka…”

I pause in the doorway and look at my father.

“Was it worth it?” he asks from behind his desk.

My knuckles pop as I unroll my fists. “Yes.”

“Well, I should hope so,” he whispers, “because you’ve killed us all.”

Chapter 21

Sofia

Lucian sleeps beside me while I wonder if I’ll ever rest again.

There are only a few things in this world that frighten me. I’ve experienced every single one of them in the last twelve hours. My little sister was murdered in front of me, my child was taken from me, and Luka… I almost lost him forever.

I take a blanket and throw it over my shoulders to block out the cold as I slide off the bed. Nina gave me a loose top and thick flannel slacks to sleep in, but I can’t shake the chill off my skin.

Lucian doesn’t move, completely lost in a deep sleep in the middle of the bed. I tuck him in a little more to make sure he stays warm.

The hallway is darker and colder than the bedroom. I look down the hall to find a guard standing several feet outside of our door. My instinct is to jump back into the room and stay there, but he smiles and nods as he catches sight of me. There’s no expression of annoyance. No flurry of intruding questions.

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