Page 125 of Wicked Knight

“You helped Eric kill Tommy and let my father take the blame?”

“It wasn’t personal. It just happened that way. Eric found you and Tommy in the cabin. He killed Tommy. He was about to get to you when your father came by. So you see it wasn’t personal. This isn’t either.” She slowly raises her arm and I get to see what she was holding. It’s a gun.

I’m already frozen with fear, but seeing the gun sends tsunamis of terror crashing through me. “Please, don’t.” The words fall from my lips in a garbled mass of trepidation.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t risk you telling Dmitri. Then he’ll tell his father my secret and I’ll lose everything. I would have stuck it out in a loveless marriage fornothing.”

I back away when she comes forward, her gun aimed right at me. “Stop. Please. This isn’t right.”

“I’m sorry. But I can’t lose everything.”

I break out into a run but crash into a wall of a chest, then two strong arms grab me, fastening around my body like a steel band.

I look up and see Eric. His face looms before me, menacing, taunting. Now that I see him, I fit the hollowed eyed face with his and realize it’s definitely him.

“Sorry, sweetheart. It’s the end of the line for you.” He raises his gun and places it at my head.

“Let her go.” Comes a loud, booming voice from the silent seats.

We all look around and see Dmitri walking down the aisle. He’s got his gun raised and his eyes on Eric holding me.

Panic has stolen the color from Yuliana’s cheeks and her hands tremble.

“You heard me,” Dmitri roars. “It’s over. Weallknow the truth now. You killed my brother.”

“Listen, son. This wasn’t how I meant for things to turn out. There are things you don’t understand. Tommy got in the way.”

“Fucking bastard. You mean he learned the truth.”

“Your father is a very difficult man. I couldn’t let him find out.”

“Release Mackenzie, right the hell now.”

Eric tightens his grip on me.

“Okay, let’s play dirty then.” Dmitri taunts.

Suddenly a million red laser light dots cover Yuliana’s body. She streaks and is so terrified she drops her gun and raises her palms.

The plan works and Eric releases me, then he runs over to Yuliana. When he reaches her he whirls around and shoots at Dmitri.

Dmitri jumps out of the way. I run behind the pillar and hide under the table to shield myself.

Eric shoots again, then Dmitri.

Dmitri’s shot catches Eric in his shoulder.

Eric readies his gun to shoot again but a bullet lodges straight in his chest and takes him down. He falls on the ground, blood pouring from his chest and Yuliana rushes to his side, crying and screaming.

That shot came from behind Dmitri. It wasn’t him.

I look around at the same time he does to find his father walking up the aisle. He’s just behind Dmitri.

Like a mad man Maxim Valneko jumps on to the stage and stalks over to Eric with his gun aimed at him.

“You? You killed Tommy.” He spits in a venomous tone. “And you just tried to kill my other son. My own fucking brother, a danger to my kids.”

“Maxim, I—” Eric coughs.

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