Page 159 of Raven

“Step back, Maddy,” I rasp with as much anger as I can fake, though in my mind, I’m begging her. “Leave, beautiful girl. Please. Go… Just go…”

“I’m Milena Tsariuk.” Maddy looks up at Skiba, her stare confident. “You want money? I have it. You want leverage? I can get it. Take me. Let him go.”

“No!” I snarl, glaring at her, panic clogging my chest, then turn to Skiba. “She’s just a girl I’m?—”

“—fucking, right.” Skiba smirks, staring down at both of us on our knees. “I’d like to know your taste, Raven. How about we take her for a ride, huh?”

The words cut like a razor, slicing through my nerves.

The fucker chuckles, taking a step toward her.

The guards on the opposite sides shift, their hands on the guns tightening. Nilanski takes a step toward us, and right away, a thug’s gun is in his face.

I try to think, think, think, and make eye contact with the guards to see if any of them would venture to start shooting or fighting. Fucking anything!

Thunder suddenly cracks above us, low and guttural.

Skiba doesn’t flinch.

“How about”—he drags his gun from the top of Maddy’s head down the back of her neck as she tries to act brave, her stance confident, but her chest heaving—“all of my guys take her for a ride?” He leans to bring his lips close to her ear. “Is he worth it?” He licks his lips stretched in a nasty grin.

I never thought I’d end up like this, not afraid to suffer or be tortured, but afraid that I’ll watch my loved one being hurt.

Maddy meets my eyes, and it’s the first time I see this coldness in her gaze. Or determination. It’s hard to say, because it’s the first. The first time I see Maddy for what she was turned into as a child, a spawn of a ruthless man who cuts heads like cutting grass, raised among the blood and senseless killings and endless power, black like tar.

Skiba looks at me and then back at her. “There’s only one thing that can save you tonight, Raven,” he says, looking at her. “If this girl trades spots. Oh, the choice…”

He’s reaching toward her face.

Five fucking inches, and he’ll touch her.

With all the force I can manage, I push forward, against the chain around my neck, pulling the guy behind me with me. I spring to my feet and lunge at Skiba, a roar breaking out of my throat as I knock him down and fall on top of him. I ram my forehead into his nose, wanting to cave his face in. But before I can do it again, the chain yanks me back with such force that I start choking and getting dizzy as it drags me back.

Skiba jumps to his feet and at me and?—

The pain is so sharp that it takes my breath away. It pierces my stomach, just under the left rib. The world goes dark as I gasp. Skiba’s eyes narrow in a smile, his crooked, bloodied teeth bared.

“I am a step ahead of you, Raven,” he hisses with sardonic gluttony, then pushes against my body, and the pain shoots through me again.

“Voila!” He raises his eyebrows in mock surprises and shows the bloodied knife in his hand.

“Rave!” Maddy cries out, but for a second, I see that Nilanski is dragging her backward.

“Don’t fucking touch him!” she screams, thrashing in the guard’s arms. “I agree!”

I gasp, taking a gulp of oxygen, my head dizzy, red-hot pain spreading through my entire torso, everything pulsating in and out of darkness. The chain around my neck yanks me back, off my feet, making me tumble.

A kick into my stomach adds another shot of pain.

Maddy’s scream pierces the air.

“Get up, you piece of shit.” Skiba’s voice is so close though I can’t see him, blood dripping into my eyes. I crouch, inwardly screaming through the pain, until I get myself onto my knees and raise my eyes to meet his.

He’ll take his revenge. I know it now. He won’t even make it to Butcher’s.

The pain is so fucking bad that I have a hard time breathing, every breath a painful tug. But I hold his gaze, gloating at the blood dripping from his broken nose.

A rumble of thunder breaks above us. The sky rips open, and it starts pouring, the sudden assault of water cooling my burning face.

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