Page 136 of Cruel Promise

Claude and Mrs. Brown come running down. I’m so relieved that they’re all right. Nikolai soon follows, shutting the door behind him and locking it.

“Is Anton this dangerous?” I ask.

“Anton is wild. He won’t hesitate to come in here and explode everything. This basement is the safest place in the entire mansion. It can withstand a lot.” He clears his throat. “Ava, can I speak to you alone?”

I have to pry my mom’s fingers off me to get her to let me go. She gives me a scared look, and I try to give her a reassuring smile.

I follow Nikolai to a private corner of the basement. “Yes?”

“You came back.”

“Well, I had to warn you about Anton.”

“Still. You came back.”

His words send a tingle over my body. It would be so easy to step into his arms and let him keep me safe.

But none of that changes the fact that he lied.

“Once this is over,” I say, “I’m going back with my mom.”

His open expression instantly shuts down. “Right.”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. My mom and I need each other right now. Neither of us even knew the other one was alive until today. Maybe it was selfish of me to ask you to protect me. I knew coming here you would keep me safe.”

“It’s not selfish. You did the right thing by coming back. Anton is dangerous, and he’s here right now.”

“But I led him right to you.”

“No. He would’ve taken you eventually and forced you to take him to me. I know Anton’s torture methods. He wouldn’t have spared you. You did the right thing. Trust me. I could never think of you as selfish.”

His words are so kind, and that’s what makes them hurt even more.

“Once I deal with Anton,” he says, “I won’t stop you from leaving. I understand. I know I fucked up when I didn’t tell you about your mom. Trust me, Ava. I know I messed up.”

Before I can respond, a loud bang comes from upstairs.

“He’s made it inside,” Nikolai growls. “Everyone, get behind me.”

We all shuffle toward the back of the basement as Nikolai angles his body toward the door, his gun drawn.

“Maybe we could call for help,” I suggest. “Dimitri or Maxim.”

“Good idea. But Anton is in here now. They won’t make it in time.”

It doesn’t take Anton long to find the basement door. “I know you’re in there. I know how you work, Nik. In your previous house, you also had a reinforced basement.”

“So, you know what that means,” he calls out. “You’re not getting in here, Anton.”

The chuckle that comes from the other side of the door sends shivers down my spine. My mom wraps her arms around me.

“That’s him,” she whispers. “The man who held me captive for weeks.”

I don’t have anything to say that will help her, so I just wrap my arms around her as well.

“I’m getting in there, Nik,” Anton warns. “And then I’m going to finish what I started. I’m going to cut you from head to toe. It’ll be a scar that won’t heal this time.”

Nikolai looks rattled. It’s the only time I’ve ever seen him look genuinely scared. I wish I could help him, but there isn’t anything I can do.

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