Page 68 of Trapping His Assassin

I faced the wall, not wanting to see his face when I told him what he would have to do. To deactivate it, he was going to have to hurt me. It wouldn’t kill me, but I would have to trust that Mateo had my best interests at heart.

I would be unconscious.

“Alright,cara mia, what should I do?”

I breathed a small, slow breath out. “All you have to do is shock me. Get as close to the device as possible, and hopefully, the electromagnetic pulse will leave the tracker untraceable.”

“Hopefully?”

His eyebrows drew together, creating a worried crease above his intense green eyes. I turned away from him, my back facing the cold concrete wall. A wave of confusion washed over me; why was he showing concern for my feelings? He had always been the tough, heartless one. We were not friends, just two people who happened to cross paths in this dark alleyway of life.

“Yes, I don’t know for certain, but it’s better than doing nothing. Do it quickly, I have a boat to catch.”

Then, it happened. A sudden, sharp crackle filled the room, and before I could react, a surge of electricity jolted through my body. It was as if a lightning bolt had struck me, sending waves of pure, raw energy coursing through my veins.

Every nerve ending in my body was on fire, a searing, white-hot pain that was both excruciating and exhilarating. My muscles contracted involuntarily, locking my body into a rigid, paralyzed state. I wanted to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. My vision blurred, dark spots dancing at the edges of my sight, as the electric current held me in its merciless grip.

As the seconds stretched into an eternity, my thoughts turned to him. The man who had orchestrated this, the shadowy figure who lurked in the darkest corners of my life. Roman. A mix of fear and anger welled up within me, fueling my determination to survive this, and end this nightmare.

Finally, the current ceased, leaving me gasping for breath. My limbs were like lead, my body weak and trembling from the aftershocks of the electric assault. I weakly passed out on the floor, letting go of my faculties in the dark.

I could tell I was on a boat from the rocking of the room. Roman wouldn’t be aboard, so I didn’t have to fear for my safety. It was hard to run from my husband. The past few weeks have been amazing. I wish I could bottle up all the memories. If I died killing Headmaster Mikhail, at least I would have known what it was like to be wanted.

Not because of my age. Not due to my skill. But a man, even if he was younger than me, recognized me as a desirable woman, and treated me as such. I could be angry about how things shook out, but I wasn’t. Not truly.

Men like Roman would protect their women. No one could hurt me but him. The pain he gave me wasn’t something I wanted to heal from. I slowly made my way out of bed, so I could check out my new accommodations.

I rushed through my routine in excitement.

As soon as I left my room, I headed left. I wasn’t sure if that was my destination, but the moment stairs came into view, I would run up them. It didn’t take me long. I ran up the stairs and pushed open the door at the top, relishing the brightness that flooded my eyes from the sun.

I swung my arms wide and threw my head back in delight. It had been so long since I’d been out in the sun. I’d had to run with the shadows and sleep during the day, so I could stay vigilant during missions.

At The Academy, many of the girls treated me like a den mother, so my days were full. Now I would have a few days of peace. It would take less than four to speed to our first destination.

I wanted to get Headmaster Mikhail in less than two weeks. But I understood Roman wouldn’t relent in chasing me. That’s why I let Don Mateo shock me. I needed to get my justice. None of these men were going to save us.

My main priority was to ensure the safety of my students. Having experienced life under Roman’s control, I had a new perspective on things. Alexie and Sloane returning to the United States had shifted my mindset once again. The love between a cruel man and a broken woman was both painful and hauntingly beautiful.

I wasn’t sure if I could have that. I brushed a finger over my rings. It still wasn’t real that Roman forced me to marry him. Surreal at best. I walked around the deck of the ship. Every man avoided my eyes.

The Don’s orders.

When I told Mateo I could take care of myself, he said he wouldn’t live long enough to see me do that. I hadn’t quite understood what he meant by that, so I shrugged it off.

I wandered for hours, until the sun beating down on my body wore me down. I wasn’t used to the heat. I headed down the stairs, and back to the bedroom I’d been given.

Each step I took sent a sharp creak echoing through the empty corridors of the boat. My hand grazed the polished wooden railing, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. It had been years since I’d been on a vessel this size, and the unfamiliar sounds made me jumpy. But I shook my head, and reminded myself that it was the old wood settling.

I opened the door and took a step inside, before the air changed and rushed past me, as I was tackled inside. Before I could scream, my assailant slapped a large palm over my mouth.

With his other hand, he wrestled me down until I was panting on the floor, glaring up at his large frame with no more fight left in me. Loathing rushed through my veins.

“Did you miss me, killer?” Roman grinned as he loomed over me in my borrowed bedroom, violence shining in his gaze.

I didn’t know if he was going to kill me or fuck me. Either way, I wasn’t going down without a fight. I had too much to lose.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

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