Page 61 of Dancing With Distraction

I smirk. “He told you that?”

“I’m not stupid, I hear what goes on. Was that the plan all along?”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Were you using me to get his business?”

“I was trying to do it the decent way, Vivian. It didn’t work out.”

The door opens, crashing back against the wall of the office and causing it to shake. Her father stands in the doorway, his face red with anger, and I arch a brow. “Ronnie,” I mutter in greeting.

“Liam Guilford?” he growls, balling his fists.

“I heard he was the top dog in your parts, so I thought it was time we met.”

“You can’t just push me out of my own area, Dmitry,” he yells, coming in and slamming the door.

“Daddy, think of your blood pressure,” Vivian says with fake concern.

He shoves her out the way, and she falls, landing hard against the desk. I wince at the sound of the force. “Stay out of my business,” he roars. “You fucked all this up for me.”

“You fucked it for yourself,” I snap, rounding the desk to help Vivian stand. She winces, holding on to her ribs. “Go to the VIP, I’ll be out shortly,” I tell her, leading her to the door.

Once she’s gone, I turn back to Ronnie and punch him in the face. He’s not expecting it and he wobbles backwards, clutching both hands to his busted nose. “I am so sick of the way you push her about,” I tell him.

“What do you care? It’s not like you’re marrying her now.”

“That isn’t her fault,” I snap. “She’s a casualty in this. I was never gonna fucking stay with her. I was just doing the decent thing to appease everyone else.”

“You piece of shit,” he spits, rushing at me.

I move to the side to avoid contact then grab his head and slam it into the wall. The plaster smashes, leaving a round dent. “Walk away with dignity, old man,” I hiss in his ear, slamming him again for good measure.

I release him, and he falls to his knees. “Your father isn’t going to be happy,” he mutters.

“Fuck him and fuck you,” I snap. “Good business isn’t done by selling your kids, Ronnie. I don’t need to buy my way into your business when I can just take it. You left yourself open, and I’m surprised no one swooped in before now. It didn’t take long for me to work out your circle, and once I did, all it took was a lower price and they were putty in my hands.”

“I have men in the police. I’ll tell them you’re bringing shit onto the streets of London, and they’ll have you shut down before your boats even arrive at the docks.”

“You’d turn snitch just to stop me winning?” I ask, smirking. “That’s a new low, even for you. Do you know what they do to snitches these days?”

“Yes,” he yells angrily. “Yes, because I’m the one who tells them what to do! I own these streets!”

I laugh, tired of his booming voice. “No, Ronnie. I run these streets now, and as long as I bring in the drugs, I control them all.”

“I’ll kill her,” he hisses, gripping onto the desk and pulling himself to stand.

I laugh harder. “Vivian means nothing to me.”

“Not Vivian,” he says with a cruel smirk.

I stare him in the eyes, tightening my fists into balls. “Who, Ronnie?” I ask, daring him to say her name out loud. “Who will you kill?”

“Victoria.” He whispers her name in a way that makes me sick to my stomach. “Do you know how much it costs these days to have men fuck up women like her?” My blood pumps faster through my veins as I stare at the way his crooked smile spreads wider. “They’d make it slow and painful, fucking that tight little cunt, filling every hole.” He sneers. “Could she take that, Dmitry? Would she survive that?” When I don’t reply, he moves closer. “And I’d have them film it so I could send you a copy. That fucked-up shit sells for thousands on the dark web.”

A mist clouds my mind as I clench my hands tightly around his chubby throat. I close my eyes and picture Victoria, my krasota, smiling as I squeeze the life from this fat fuck. He coughs, trying desperately to prise my hands open as he drops back to his knees. I push him farther, until he’s on his back and I’m standing over him. I kneel on his chest, using all my weight to add more pressure. His legs kick out one last time and then he stills with his eyes bulging, staring blankly into my own.

Marshall opens the door, catching my attention. He quickly rushes in and slams it closed before anyone gets a glimpse of Ronnie’s dead body. “Sorry, Boss, I did knock, but you didn’t answer, and I was getting worried knowing you were in here with him.”

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