Page 38 of Darkest Deeds

“Her?” Sergei’s deep laugh echoes throughout the damp basement. “The weak girl who hides in the attic all day. You think she did this?”

Ava’s head lolls to the side, and her body goes limp.

“Sergei, look at her.”

“I am, and I do not like what I see, Nikolai.”

“What?” I twist and stare at him, flinching at the lack of empathy in his voice. More than that, I’m cautious about what it means.

“Did Yuri try to stop you?” Sergei’s eyes are on fire, but his lips curl in a slight smile. “Is that why you killed him?”

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Guards!” Sergei raises his hand and men in black and red uniforms crawl out of the woodwork like ants. One of them grabs the knife and two others restrain me while one delivers a well-aimed punch to the kidneys. “Dmitry, my daughter’s innocence has been violated. Take Ava upstairs while the guards and I handle things down here.”

No! They can’t take her away from me!

“I’d never hurt her!” I yell, throwing kicks as I struggle in their hold. “I love her! Tell them, Ava!”

Sergei holds up a hand, and Dmitry stops beside him. “Yes, tell me, Ava,” he says, smoothing a hand over her hair. “Be a good girl and tell Papa—tell the truth. You have seen what I do to liars. Did he hurt you?” As his fingers reach the ends of her hair, he gives it a sharp tug. Ava’s shaking stops. Instead of fear in her eyes, there’s nothing. Instead of panicked gasps, it barely looks like she’s breathing at all.

And then she nods.

She fucking nods, and right there, something inside me dies.

“Ava!” I beg, knowing she won’t answer. All I get in return is a blank face.

I’m on my own. So many promises broken. I would’ve given my life for her, and because of her silence, I probably will.

Dmitry pulls her arm, dragging her toward the stairs. “Come, Miss Chernova. Let us get you cleaned up.”

When the basement door closes and Ava disappears, so do I. A new man is born. One without a heart, without a soul, and without mercy. One who believes trust is for the weak, and love is a four-letter word.

I spit a mouthful of blood as a guard drives a fist into my cheek. “You know I didn’t touch either one of them, you son of a bitch.”

Sergei glances from Yuri’s dead body to me, a cold smile splitting his face. “And who is going to believe you?”

He nods again and a flurry of boots and fists take me to the floor. The hits are relentless, one after the other until I’m almost unconscious. But I’m not stupid. This isn’t it. The worst is yet to come. I’ll pay for a sin I didn’t commit and eventually die a slow and painful death.

But if I live.

God help them both.

Mikhail rubs his chin.“It sounds like there is more you are not telling me.”

“What do you mean?”

“There has to be a reason she turned on you, and it is deeper than not wanting to go to jail. What she did was simple self-defense. Even a sixteen-year-old can comprehend that.” Digging a twenty dollar bill out of his pocket, he throws it on the table and stands up. “That girl is hiding something, comrade. The clock is ticking, and unless you find out what it is quickly, you will be left with only two options.”

He doesn’t wait for a response before turning to leave. I give him one anyway.

“Yeah, kill her, or sit back and let her railroad me twice.”

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