Page 136 of Relentless Sinner

Panic grips me and I rush up to him to touch his arm. His head dips forward, and he slumps against the side of the chair.

I check him and realize he’s not breathing, and his pulse is incredibly weak.

“Someone help me!” I shout.

My medical skills snap into action and I adjust the wheelchair so I can get him out.

Just then, Eric walks into the room. I’m so glad to see him.

“Eric, I found him like this. Call an ambulance. He’s not breathing.” The words tumble out of my mouth as dread assails me.

Instead of taking out his phone to call an ambulance or going to get help, Eric continues walking leisurely toward me. A smile spreads across his face. It reminds me of a shark before it devours its prey.

“What’s going on?” I stutter when I realize something is very wrong here.

“Nothing. That’s just the thing. Finally, nothing is wrong, and everything is exactly the way it’s supposed to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Illya won’t be breathing any time soon. I poisoned him,” he explains as simply as if he were talking about the weather.

A stone drops in the pit of my stomach, and I feel heavy, as if lead is flowing through my veins.

“What do you mean, you poisoned him?”

“I gave him a taste of his own medicine. Did he tell you he used to be an expert in poisons? He was good at it. Shame he wasn’t so good with knowing who to trust. Then again, he wouldn’t have thought his best friend would turn on him.” He lets out a dark chuckle that fries my nerves.

“Why would you do this?” I know Jaxon’s father was a monster, but what reason did Eric have to turn on him?

“Part of the plan. And you just became the queen on the chessboard.”

“Queen?”

“When I’m Pakhan, I’ll be the king. And you will marry me.”

The blood drains from my body as his words ravage my brain. He’s going to marryme. And be Pakhan. Meaning Jaxon won’t be.

I already feel like I’m withering away, but death wraps its cold fingers around my throat when my father steps into the room.

“Hello, Gabriella. I told you I’d find a way. This is it.”

Oh. My. God.

This was all a setup.

Oh, Jaxon…

We’re both in trouble.

Chapter Thirty-One

Jaxon

I grab my jacket from the hook on my office door and shrug into it.

I check I have everything I need for the day and my flight later.

Phone, wallet, keys, gun.

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