Page 76 of Wicked Heiress

I lowered my arm to my side, maintaining my grip on the glass. He hadn’t moved from the same spot since he started telling me stories about the past. I could tell he wouldn’t hurt me unless provoked.

“What happened?”

His gaze dropped to the glass, and his eyes met mine again. “Viktor loved your mother and you. When your grandfather sent men to capture my brother, he tried to protect both of you. But one of the men shot your mother. She died instantly.”

I heard footsteps coming closer, pounding the tile downstairs until Cole, Rhys, and Drake were on the landing behind Andrey. They aimed guns at his head.

Cole stood between Rhys and Drake. "Step away from her, Romanov.”

Andrey angled his body to look at them before turning back to me. "Tell your friends you are not afraid of Uncle Andrey, kisa."

I locked eyes with him, my heart pounding so fast my pulse thumped in my ears. Andrey took another step toward me.

Cole’s eyes flicked between Andrey and me as he pointed the gun. "Get the fuck away from her."

Andrey reached into his jacket and produced a gun aimed at Cole's forehead. With Drake right behind him, Cole didn't even flinch. He held his ground. Rhys was a few paces behind and off to his left, armed and ready to shoot.

In a flash, Andrey grabbed me before I could run. He held me firmly and pressed the gun to my temple. "Do not fucking move. I will shoot her."

"No, you won't," Cole challenged. "Your brother wouldn't allow you to live if you did."

"I will tell him you killed her," Andrey snapped.

"If you touch a hair on her head, you won't live long enough to tell Viktor shit.”

Cole took another step toward us, breathing deeply through his nose. His eyes found mine, and a hint of sadness crossed over his face.

Andrey curled his muscular arm around me, pinning me into a position that made it impossible to move my arm.

"You have one second to get your fucking hands off her," Cole shouted, his image blurring as Andrey clamped down harder on my throat.

They couldn't shoot Andrey without risking my life. One wrong move, and he could lodge a bullet into my skull. His finger was on the trigger, and I broke out in a cold sweat from head to toe.

Rhys cleared his throat, drawing my attention to him. He dipped his head down as if trying to communicate with me. I didn't understand what he was telling me.

At least not at first.

His eyes drifted to my hand. And then I realized I was still holding the piece of glass.

I angled my body to the right and dislodged my arm from Andrey’s grasp. Just enough to drag the glass across his throat. One swift slice into his skin, and his blood sprayed my face. His gun fired as he staggered backward.

Cole tackled me to the ground as another shot was fired. He covered me with his muscular body and cradled the back of my head. "I got you, Grace.”

Andrey lay in a pool of blood, his eyes open and staring back at me.

He was dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Dead.

Cole helped me sit up and pulled me between his legs. I didn't realize I was shaking so severely until he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me to his chest.

I killed my uncle.

The man with the scar on his thumb drifted into my mind. I didn't want to go back there.

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