And now he was about to pull the trigger.
I didn't think. I didn't hesitate. My body moved before my mind caught up, and I surged forward.
"Nicholas!" I roared, my voice echoing through the warehouse as I closed the distance between us.
Everything happened in a blur.
Nicholas's head snapped toward me, his eyes widening in shock for a split second. But then, instead of lowering the gun, he swung it around toward me, his face twisting with a snarl.
He pulled the trigger.
The gunshot rang out, loud and deafening, and the bullet whizzed past me, missing by inches. But I was already on him. I slammed into Nicholas with all the force I could muster,knocking him back, the gun clattering to the floor. He grunted in pain, stumbling, but I didn't give him a chance to recover.
I grabbed him by the collar, shoving him against the wall, my fist connecting with his jaw in a brutal punch. Nicholas groaned, his head snapping to the side, blood spraying from his mouth.
"You bastard," I growled, my voice low and full of rage. "You'll never touch her again."
Nicholas laughed, a bitter, rasping sound that grated against my nerves. "You think this is over?" he spat, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "You think you can save her? You're as blind as she is."
I slammed him against the wall again, harder this time, my fist hovering inches from his face. "I should kill you right now," I said through gritted teeth. "For everything you've done."
Nicholas's eyes gleamed, his smile widening despite the blood staining his teeth. "Do it," he taunted, his voice low and taunting. "You think killing me will make you a hero? You're no better than I am, Nikita."
My chest heaved with the force of my anger, my hands trembling as I held him there. I could feel the violence boiling under my skin, the need to end him right here, to rid Lily of this monster forever. But something held me back—something deeper.
Behind me, I heard Lily's voice, soft but steady. "Nikita," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Don't. Please."
Her words pierced through the red haze clouding my vision, pulling me back from the edge. I looked at her, my chest tightening as I saw the fear in her eyes, the way she trembled as she watched us. She didn't want this. Not like this.
I took a deep breath, my grip on Nicholas loosening slightly as I fought to regain control. "You're not worth it," I muttered, stepping back, releasing him from my grasp. "You'll pay for this, but not like this."
Nicholas sneered, his eyes narrowing. "You're weak," he hissed. "You think she'll stay with you after this? After everything? She'll always be mine to command."
I didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. I turned to Lily, my heart pounding in my chest as I took a step toward her. But just as I moved, I heard the sharp click of metal behind me and turned back around.
Nicholas had the gun again.
"Don't move!" he shouted, his voice rising in a frantic panic as he pointed the weapon directly at Lily. "I'll kill her, Nikita! I swear to God, I'll kill her!"
Time seemed to freeze. I watched, helpless, as Lily stood frozen in place, her eyes wide with terror as she stared down the barrel of the gun. My breath caught in my throat, my mind racing, trying to calculate how to stop this before it was too late.
"You won't touch her," I said quietly, my voice low and dangerous. "You're done, Nicholas. This is over."
"Shut up!" Nicholas screamed, his hand trembling as he tightened his grip on the gun. "You think you've won? You think you can take her from me? She's mine!"
My heart pounded in my ears as I watched the scene unfold, every muscle in my body tense, ready to spring into action. But before I could move, Nicholas's hand jerked, the gun wavering for a split second. And in that moment, I acted.
I lunged forward, grabbing for the gun, my hand wrapping around his wrist as I twisted it hard. Nicholas let out a strangled cry, but he didn't let go. We struggled, the gun between us, and in the chaos, it went off.
The shot echoed through the warehouse, loud and final.
Nicholas gasped, his eyes wide with shock as he stumbled back, blood blooming across his chest. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground, the gun slipping from his hand as his body hit the floor.
For a moment, there was only silence.
I stood there, breathing heavily, my heart still racing as I stared down at Nicholas's lifeless body. The blood pooled beneath him, dark and viscous, staining the cold concrete floor. It was over.
I turned to Lily, and the look on her face almost broke me. She was standing there, frozen in place, her eyes locked on her father's body, her expression a mixture of shock, horror, and disbelief. She didn't move, didn't say anything. She just stared at the man who had controlled her life for so long, now lying dead at her feet.