Page 10 of Dust to Dust

Tada!

I aimed the gun at myself. The barrel was hot against the temple of my head from when I shot my uncle. Everyone in the room inhaled—even the cold-hearted Lucas King looked concerned, which didn't make sense. I eyed the signed papers on the desk, now stained with my uncle's brain; everything was signed, and even If I tried to protest it now, a contract made by Michelson law was set in stone.

"Why do you need me?" I asked Lucas, who stepped up to his son's shoulder. Don't fool yourself; Lucas would not take my bullet to save his son. Right?

"Put the gun down, Elsa," Lucas ordered.

"Nova!" I snapped. Pressing the barrel harder into the skull. "You're a brilliant and conniving man Lucas. Can't you remember a name? You killed Elsa! I want to introduce to you Nova, Nova Baladan." I opened and extended my left hand as if to make an emphasized introduction. Dramatic gestures were cherries on top. Speaking of cherry, I licked my lips and tasted the cherry-flavored lip gloss that coated them.

Lucas nodded. It bothered me that Lucas looked at ease after all the lies, deception, and killing today.

Chaos is our environment Nova, but it is his world. Lucas still controls the little people, and we are still little,Ghost added.

Look at you, Ghost. Sounding all wise. Betrayal will do that to you. It removed those rose-colored glasses and replaced them with shades of red and black: chaos and destruction.

"Ok, Nova." Lucas stressed my name, "Now put the gun down." Lucas twisted and looked to Mr. Michelson, who had composed himself. My uncle's blood stained parts of his suit jacket. "Michelson, we're done for now. You can go." Lucas ordered. The fact that no one came running into the office after a gunshot and screaming told me these walls had seen a lot of shit since the Kings took over control.

Mr.Michelson looked towards me for added permission to move. I did have the gun after all, "Scurry along." I grinned. He stood and walked to the door with haste.

"Answer my question," I insisted now that it was just the four of us in the room.

Then, Titan glanced away from my eyes and looked toward his father. Did I ruffle some feathers? Yes, I think I did. Titan realized that Lucas had something else in the works that neither of us knew. What it could be, I had no idea. Lucas successfully stole my parents' company. He agreed to let his son marry me, so what else was Lucas hiding that would be affected if I died?

Chapter 8

Many things were certain. One thing was uncertain, what would Nova do? Reckless had become her middle name. Nova Reckless Baladan. Actually that wasn't right. Legally she was my wife now. Nova Reckless King. Just the sound of it sent my blood flowing south. Not the best time for a hard-on, but when it came to Nova, I wasn't always able to control my body.

The sexy woman with the golden blonde wig on, wearing skin-tight clothing that outlined her lean curves, was my wife. Shit! I finally had her, and I wasn't going to lose her.

Nova moved the gun away from her and aimed it at my father. I was torn between answers that my father was concealing and the girl I loved who had lost her damn mind. No, really, she had.No one pointed a gun at my father. Trust me, I considered doing it myself, and I knew the time was coming that I would have to go against my nature. A son to kill his father.A man to kill his maker. I didn't care that Elsa, Nova—whoever she wanted to be or whatever name she wanted to be called— was broken and lost. Nova returning in my life boiled down to one simple fact. This new persona, Nova, was a cry for help. Nova didn't honestly want to kill me. She wanted me to save her.

I had been trained to hunt and dominate, which was what I would do with my wife. I'd trudge through the depths of hell to find her soul and bring her back to the living. I made a promise years ago, and now I got a second chance to keep that promise. Nova would be mine in every way possible. She was my wife, but I needed to find her soul and repair the girl I broke so many years ago.

Now that my father had signed the papers and I signed the marriage contract, why did dad need Nova alive? He had her parents' company, he got everything he wanted like he always did. My father didn't need Nova alive. I didn't believe he wanted Nova alive to make me happy. The conversation he and I had about him giving Nova to me was utter bullshit. Lucas King never did anything from the kindness of his heart. Every move he made had a motive. My father needed Nova for something.

Something bigger at play.

Dad finally tore his eyes off of Nova and looked at me. All I saw in his blue eyes were secrets and lies. A darkness that concealed the inner workings of the devil. The man loved me in his sick way, but love didn't matter sometimes. Other times love just killed, and I knew I'd have to kill my father sooner rather than later because now my father was threatening my wife again, and I wasn't the naive boy who listened to Lucas King anymore.

Chapter 9

The weight of the gun started to weigh heavy in my extended hand. Lucas, the ass, had yet to utter one syllable. So, it was time to up the stacks; I aimed the gun back at Titan and pulled the trigger. Don't worry. I didn't harm his pretty face; I aimed between him and Lucas to the right. Damian lunged for me then, but I shifted my position, lowered the gun, and pulled the trigger, almost shooting his toe off. This entire dramatic act was meant to show them my skills. Yes, I was a woman and not as trained as them, but that didn't mean I was any less deadly. My reflexes were fast, and my aim was true.

I didn't consider who snuck up behind me as I fired the second shot, a cold, sharp knife wrapped around my neck from behind. With my eyes aimed ahead, I noted how Lucas relaxed, which told me he knew who was behind me. Titan and Damian, on the other hand, stiffened. I could see their brains working like a computer, running through scenarios and how they could get control of the room. Titan's blue eyes shifted to my attacker. Pure joy radiated through my body like a nuclear blast when I saw how Titan promised the attacker a painful death for attempting to harm me. Titan was just as twisted as me. We loved to hate each other, and a part of us hated to love one another. It was unclear because no matter what emotions we shared, we were toxic, haunted by the radiation of our past that was causing deadly conflicts for our future.

Titan locked eyes with me in an unbreakable hold; he nodded with his eyes as he tried to reassure me that he wouldn't let anything happen to my pretty little neck. A laugh slipped from my lips as it filled the room. Titan still thought I needed him. The man's audacity to think I still couldn't handle tough situations myself.

I felt my attacker lower his lips closer to my right ear. Titan's forearms bulged as Damian stepped in front of him to hold him back. There was a knife still pressed to my neck after all. "Hello, Kukla," Anton purred.Well, shoot me dead. I did not expect to have Anton show up.Anton stayed back in Russia when my uncle was away to act in Igor's absence. So, who was behind the wheel at the Stepanov Bratva if Anton was here?

Anton and I had a strange relationship. Nothing between us was sexual, but he did show tenderness towards me. During my years under my uncle's control, Anton showed me what little mercy he could. He taught me how to use a sniper rifle and disable a man and kill him. Anton was with me when I was first forced to kill, and Anton killed Jakob when he beat me and then tried to assault me further. I suppose I'd say, in his sick way, Anton cared for me, and I for him.

"You've been naughty again," He said.

I relaxed in his hold, but he did not release any pressure from the knife. I knew Anton couldn't afford to show me greater affection. He had to maintain control of the room, and I was his bait. Still, it didn't make sense why Lucas would care about my life, but I'd find the answers to that question later.

"Are you proud?" I asked. I could feel his head shift and look at the body of his dead Pakhan.

Anton grunted with disgust at Igor. I knew all along that Anton had been planning to kill my uncle one day; It just so happened that I beat him to it. "I'd be prouder if you kept your guard up."

---