Page 69 of Cruel Promise

“He’s trying to sell me to you,” I say. I couldn’t trust Dimitri before, I doubt I can again. But I need help, and he’s all I’ve got.

Dimitri stares at us for a moment before laughing. “Jeez. How many times have you been sold?”

I don’t reply.

He stands up and approaches us. “Well, this has been interesting, but I’m already bored. So, Ava, why don’t you return home and you”—he sets his eyes on my father— “should really stop trying to sell your daughter for money. I’m not interested.”

“No,” Father growls, shoves me away, and aims his gun at Dimitri. “I need money!”

Dimitri’s guards are on my father in five seconds flat, holding him to the ground and taking the gun away.

“Now, that was definitely more interesting,” Dimitri says, turning to me. “Some pops you have.”

“Yeah. He’s terrible.”

“Bad luck for you recently. First, Nik, and now, you’re father. All just bad luck.”

I stand up straighter. “What about Nikolai?”

“You haven’t heard? Maxim kidnapped him. Probably torturing him right this second.”

“When did this happen?”

“Yesterday.”

Explains why I haven’t seen Nikolai in over a day.

“You didn’t think to tell me?”

Dimitri shrugs. “What’s there to tell? I thought you hated him. Figured this would be a good chance for you to make your escape.”

Holy … Dimitri’s right. With Nikolai gone, I’d be free. I could go back to school. I could do anything.

I need to get to the train station so I can head back to New Haven. I can find out what happened to my mom and I can return to Yale and everything will be all right.

I nod at my father. “Can you make sure he doesn’t follow me? Please?”

“Sure.” He motions at his guards who have a hold on my father. “Keep him there for a while.” He winks. “Have fun with your freedom.”

Hurrying out of the club, I walk fast to the nearest subway. I could have taken my father’s keys and used his car to drive myself, but I don’t want anything to do with my father.

I reach the train station and find a train heading to New Haven in only thirty minutes. This is it. This is my chance.

I reach the front of the line to buy my ticket.

“Where are you heading?” the ticket agent asks.

I open my mouth to say New Haven, and then … I stop. Nothing comes out.

Nikolai is currently getting tortured by Maxim. He might already be dead. And for some reason, that thought hurts more than it should. I don’t love him. I don’t care for him. I can’t.

But he is my husband. And without Nikolai, what do I have?

Honestly, I don’t have anybody.

That thought tears right through me, making me double over with a gasp.

“Are you ok?” the ticket agent asks, bending over the desk to look at me.

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