Page 2 of Tainted Empire

I’m momentarily stunned at the abrupt change of direction this is heading in, and my gaze meets Mikhail’s from across the room. There’s fury in his eyes, those mismatched eyes I’ve come to love, but there’s also something else.

Beneath the cold exterior, he seems confused.

But that’s when I break eye contact with him and, without another word, I take the lifeline I’ve been given.

Chapter 2

Gabriette

Barely keeping my legs steady underneath me, I force myself to rise, to take that life-saving chance Lee has granted me. My vision blurs with tears, and my heart feels like it’s about to shatter into a million pieces.

I don’t dare to look back as I flee the room; my only focus is to put as much distance as possible between Mikhail and me.

Stumbling through the dimly lit corridors, my body moves on autopilot, guided by the overwhelming need to escape, to breathe, to survive. I hardly notice the luxurious décor and the thick plush carpet beneath my feet. Everything is a blur, a twisted mess of fear, relief, and disbelief.

As I round a corner, almost colliding with a wall in my haste, I spot her. Natalya. Mikhail’s younger sister, with her angelic features and a grace that belies her strength. She takes one look at me—at my tear-stained face and smudged makeup and probably the blood—and her eyes widen in alarm.

“Gabi!” She exclaims, rushing to my side, her voice laced with concern. “What happened? Are you okay?”

I open my mouth to answer, to pour out the horror of the last few minutes, but the words get stuck in my throat, tangled up in the shock still coursing through my veins. All I can manage is a desperate plea, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Where … where’s Lee’s SUV?”

Natalya’s brow furrows in confusion, but she doesn’t press for answers. She can see the state I’m in, the urgency in my eyes. Without a word, she links her arm through mine, leading me away with a determination that tells me she’s not going to let anything else happen to me tonight.

Natalya’s presence is a comforting anchor in the chaos of my mind. I can feel the questions burning in her eyes, the worry etching deeper lines into her youthful face, but she remains silent, respecting my need for silence.

Finally, we step outside into the cool night air, and I feel like I can breathe again. The hotel looms behind us but all I can think about is the distance I’m putting between myself and Mikhail.

“There,” Natalya points to a sleek, black SUV in the underground parking lot as she walks with me. “That’s Lee’s.”

I nod, mutely grateful, as we continue towards the vehicle. Every step feels like a small victory and a curse. I’m no longer the woman on her knees, begging for her life. I’m standing, I’m walking, I’m surviving.

We reach the SUV just as Lee rounds the corner; her strides long and purposeful. She takes in the scene—Natalya’s protective stance, my disheveled appearance, and her jaw tightens.

Without a word, she gestures to her men to open the door, her eyes never leaving mine. I can see the silent promise in her gaze, the unspoken vow to make things right, to protect me.

I climb into the backseat, my body still trembling from the aftershocks of terror. I’m safe, for now, but the reality of what’s just happened, of what I’ve just escaped, is starting to sink in. And with it comes a wave of emotions too complex, too raw, to put into words.

Lee speaks to Natalya for a bit, then she gets in next to me, her movements controlled, her face a mask of stoic determination. She doesn’t speak, and I’m grateful for the silence. I’m not sure I could find the words even if I tried.

The engine roars to life, and we pull away from the underground parking, leaving behind the nightmarish scene, the man I thought I knew, and a love that’s turned into a twisted, painful memory.

As the distance grows, I lean back in the seat, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and heartache. I’ve survived, but at what cost?

I exhale, not even realizing I’d been holding my breath. The gun is no longer pointed at me, but the tension still hangs like fog that won’t lift. The love, the baby, the betrayal—real or imagined—they’re all pieces of a puzzle that feel increasingly impossible to solve.

Because if there’s no room for truth between Mikhail and me, then we’re already lost. And that would be the biggest tragedy of all.

The SUV glides smoothly along the dark, deserted roads, creating a bubble of silence around us. Lee’s expression is stern and unreadable while I sit in the backseat, trying to piece together the fragments of my shattered reality.

We drive for what feels like hours, the world outside changing from city lights to dense forests. My body is still shaking, my mind reeling from the night’s events, but there’s a strange sense of safety that starts to settle over me as we move further away from the hotel, from Mikhail.

Eventually, we turn onto a gravel road; the tires crunching underneath us as we navigate through the trees. The forest opens up to reveal a modest cabin nestled at the edge of a tranquil lake, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight.

“It’s one of my many safe houses,” Lee explains, her voice breaking the silence. “You’ll be safe here.”

I nod, not trusting my voice as we step out of the vehicle. The cool night air hits me, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm inside. Lee leads me inside the cabin, her steps confident and reassuring.

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