Page 53 of Ruthless Prince

We share a smile, even though it’s tinged with sadness. This is only the start of everything, but I hope we have the rest of our lives to make up for lost time.

We arrive at Dimitri’s home. Seeing it brings back all my memories of being abused here. I won’t feel any sadness about killing Dimitri.

Nico, his two guards, and I sneak up to the side of the mansion. The two guards take the other side to cover more ground.

I find a window that’s unlocked and slip it open then sneak inside. Nico follows.

We enter a hallway. With small steps, we head toward the living room. I poke my head around the corner and see Dimitri, sitting on the couch, sipping a drink.

And across from him is Mr. Moore.

Bastard. What the hell is he doing here?

Doesn’t matter. I’m going to fucking murder him also.

I step into the living room with Nico next to me, both of our guns drawn. There’s a guard in the corner who Nico kills before he can raise his own weapon.

Dimitri and Mr. Moore scramble to a stand. Clearly, they weren’t expecting us. Good.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Dimitri snarls.

“Your brother stole my son,” Nico says. “I’m here to end it.”

“What are you doing here?” I ask Mr. Moore.

“Getting power any way I can,” he explains.

“Not when you’re dead.” I raise my gun and shoot him. Mr. Moore doesn’t stand a chance. He falls back onto the ground, blood gushing from the wound in his chest.

I stand there and smile. Now, Mr. Moore can never get between Ellie and me again.

And then I hear the loud bang of a gunshot followed by a pain in my leg.

“Fuck,” I groan as I fall to the ground.

Dimitri stands there with a gun drawn. “I’m not going to let you two get a happy ending. Not when you”—he turns his gaze onto Nico—“killed my brother.”

Nico tries to shoot at Dimitri, but Dimitri jumps behind the couch and fires off a round. Nico slips his arm under my arms and hauls me up.

“Come on,” he grits out, pushing me behind the wall.

“I can fight.”

“You already got shot, and I’m not going to lose you again.” Nico dives back into the living room and shoots his gun like a madman. My father is throwing himself in the thick of the fray just to save me.

I’ve never had anyone protect me like this before. Igor would have thrown me to the wolves to save himself.

But Nico.

For the first time since meeting him, I truly start to think of him as my father.

Dimitri pokes his head up over the couch, and that’s when Nico strikes. He shoots Dimitri in the head.

And then everything is quiet.

With a groan, Nico stands up and limps over to me.

“Are you hurt?” I ask.

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