Page 37 of Deadly Vows

But I couldn’t move. Iwouldn’tmove. I wasn’t leaving her alone with Danny. His eyes were wild, and I knew he would hurt her.

Sandy wasn’t the type to back down easily. She stepped forward, her expression fierce, bat held out in front of her like a sword. “Get out of my apartment.Now.”

He took a step toward her, and I panicked. “Danny, just leave!” I screamed, picking up a vase and throwing it at him. My aim was good, but not good enough. It brushed his cheek just before it crashed into the wall, shattering into pieces.

With his attention momentarily distracted, Sandy swung the bat again, connecting with his right shoulder. He grimaced in pain but didn’t back down. She swung again, but this time, Danny caught it before it could connect with his chest. Tugging it out of her hands, he threw it into the kitchen, out of reach.

That’s when everything spiraled out of control. In a flash, Danny lunged at Sandy, his hand wrapping around her throat. I screamed, rushing forward to help her, but Danny shoved me back, sending me crashing into the coffee table. Pain shot through my side, but it was nothing compared to the terror of watching my sister struggle for air as Danny tightened his grip.

“Let her go!” I screamed, scrambling to my feet. But Danny didn’t listen. Sandy’s face was turning red, her hands clawing at his as she tried desperately to break free.

Driven by desperation, I grabbed a nearby lamp and swung it at his head. It connected with a sickening thud, and Danny grunted in pain, releasing Sandy as he staggered back.

Sandy crumpled to the floor, gasping for air, her hands clutching her throat. I dropped the lamp and rushed to her side, but Danny was on me again before I could even check if she was okay. His hand fisted in my hair, yanking me to my feet.

“Enough!” he snarled, his breath hot against my ear. “You’re coming with me whether you like it or not.”

“No!” I screamed, struggling against him, but his grip was unyielding. He dragged me toward the door, ignoring my pleas and attempts to break free.

“Sandy!” I called out, my voice filled with panic. But Sandy was still on the floor, barely conscious, her breath in ragged gasps.

Danny forced me through the door, out into the hallway, and through a back exit of the building into a narrow alleyway. The cold air hit me like a slap, and I knew this was my last chance. I had to escape. I had to get away from him.

I twisted in his grip, bringing my knee up as hard as I could. It connected with his stomach, and he gasped, loosening his hold just enough for me to wrench free. I bolted down the alley, my heart pounding in my chest, my boots clattering against the pavement.

But I didn’t get far. Danny was on me instantly, his hand wrapping around my arm and yanking me back. I stumbled, falling hard onto the pavement, the breath knocked out of me.

“You think you can get away from me?” Danny snarled, dragging me to my feet. “You’remine, Talia. You’ve always been mine.”

I fought him with everything I had, but he was too strong, too determined. He hauled me toward a blue sedan at the end of the alley, throwing me in the back seat before I could even process what was happening. The door slammed shut, and I was trapped.

“No! Let me go!” I yelled as Danny climbed into the driver’s seat. His face was pure fury as he started the engine. I tried opening the door, but it was locked. I leaned back and began kicking the window, hoping it would break.

“Shut up,” Danny snapped, pulling out a gun and pointing it at me. “You brought this on yourself. Sit back and stay still, and I won’t have to kill you.”

Terror wrapped around me as the car sped off, taking me away from everything I knew, everything I loved. I turned to takeone last look at the apartment building and saw Ivan on his cell phone as he frantically climbed the stairs. Aleksandr, Sandy, the life I had just begun to build—all of it was slipping away, and I could do nothing to stop it.

Chapter 22

Aleksandr

My footsteps echoed in the cold, quiet street as I left the gallery, my mind still filled with thoughts of Talia. The way her eyes sparkled when she looked at a painting, and her lips curled into that shy smile when she felt my gaze on her. Every moment with her was etched into my mind, more permanent than any artwork hanging on those walls. She was my muse, my obsession, and more than that—she was mine.

I pulled my coat tighter as a cold breeze swept down the street. Reaching the car, I unlocked it and slipped into the driver’s seat. My phone buzzed, pulling me out of my thoughts. I fished it out, glancing at the screen: Ivan.

“Ivan, what is it?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

“Pakhan,“ Ivan’s said in a strained voice. “I was waiting for Talia outside Sandy’s apartment. Everything was fine until I heard a commotion upstairs. I went up and found the door open…”

My grip tightened on the phone. “And?”

“Sandy was barely conscious. She’d been strangled. She told me Danny—Talia’s ex—was there. He took her. He took Talia.”

Everything went cold. My pulse roared in my ears, drowning out the rest of the world. Talia… taken. By that piece of shit.

“Where’s Sandy now?” I demanded, my jaw clenched so tightly it hurt.

“With me. I wasn’t sure what else to do. She’s shaken, but she’ll be okay. She told me everything she knows about Danny.”

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