Page 80 of Twisted Princess

Keoghan’s eyes flick to Leon and Mishka, as if he’s only just aware of their presence in the room, and his scowl darkens. But rather than say anything, he passes his gun to another hulking man who, until now, had been hidden in the shadows.

Harper.

The Pearl’s security manager takes the gun without question, passing Mr. Kelly a rag in exchange. And Keoghan wipes his hands as his eyes shift back to me once again. Curious. Interested. Though he doesn’t say a word.

Vinny yanks my arm, indicating he’s ready to leave. And I follow him from Keoghan’s office, my mind reeling from what just took place.

Is my life in danger from witnessing what I just did?

Does Keoghan even care that I saw him put a bullet through a man’s head?

Is he seriously so untouchable that he doesn’t mind if people know he’s a murderer?

From the sound of it, the man was a traitor, though I don’t know how—or why that deserves a death sentence.

But I do understand that the mafia lifestyle is a deadly one.

It’s partly why I was less than confident about starting something with Gleb three years ago. I thought I might have a chance of escaping the dark, dangerous lifestyle of the criminal underground.

How did I fall so far that I’ve ended up with a man completely apathetic and cutthroat? He doesn’t even care about his cousin taking a man’s life right in front of him.

It crosses my mind that Vinny might not care because he’s killed men before.

I know Gleb has. But for some reason, with Gleb, it feels different. He doesn’t revel in violence, in death. He doesn’t seek it out. And when he can, he avoids it.

Gleb has said himself that he left Boston in the first place because that’s not the kind of life he wants to lead.

And out of all the men who Vinny sent after us, the only life he took was Miko’s. Even when he was fighting Mikhail’s operation, I know he held back. Gleb takes life when it’s necessary. When it’s his life or a stranger’s. Unlike Vinny, Gleb doesn’t stand by and smile while someone puts a bullet in someone’s forehead.

My ears still ring with the aftermath of Keoghan’s brutality.

And yet Vinny’s smirk is effortless as he drags me into the harsh light of day and pushes me across the Lincoln’s bench seat.

He commands the driver to take us to the nearest Catholic church.

And my stomach plummets as the reality of my nightmare truly starts to sink in.

29

GLEB

To my astonishment, when I showed up on the front stoop of Mel’s old boarding house at three in the morning, Kieri insisted I spend the night in Mel’s old room. It hasn’t been filled yet, and when she heard Mel was in trouble, the tiny middle-aged woman was more than willing to help in whatever way she could.

Even so, I hit the streets before sunrise. Because the longer Mel’s missing, the less likely I am to find her in time. What exactly that means, I really don’t want to think about.

Whether Vinny intends to kill her or marry her, I can’t stand the thought of his hands on her—for any reason. It makes my blood boil.

And the only thing stopping me from a full-on killing spree is the fact that Pyotr can’t afford a war with the Kellys.

So, instead, I’m starting with recon.

The sunrise is so striking, it could almost tempt me to distraction. Somehow, the pink, orange, and gold that burst across the skyline and color the clouds make me think of Gabby. If personality could be transformed into light, that would be the colors of Mel’s little girl.

Only a few other early birds are out and about to appreciate it, but the people who pass by the hood of Lev’s Tacoma seem just as taken by the sight. Not one even glances in my direction.

They do, however, look bundled up enough to tell me the morning is crisp, and I roll down my window to take in the fresh, reviving air. These are the hours when most people are still asleep, curled up in their warm beds.

But not me.

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