Page 90 of Temptation and Tyranny

“I’m okay,” I assured him, the tears starting to flow the second I realized it was really him. “I knew you’d come. I knew you wouldn’t leave me here.”

Cooper’s hands were gentle as he wiped away my tears, and then quickly checked me for injuries. His touch sent sparks through me despite the dire situation. “I’m so sorry, Allegra. I should never have pushed you away. I should have protected you.”

Before I could respond, another figure appeared in the doorway. Colton, Cooper’s twin brother.

“We need to move,” Colton urged. “Viktor’s men are regrouping. We don’t have much time.”

Cooper nodded, helping me to my feet. My legs were weak from days of disuse, and I stumbled. Without hesitation, Cooper scooped me into his arms.

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, his lips close to my ear. “I’ll always have you. Just hold on and don’t let go. Ever.”

We moved swiftly through dimly lit corridors, the sound of shouting and gunfire growing closer. Colton led the way, his gun at the ready, while Cooper carried me effortlessly despite his still-healing leg.

As we rounded a corner, two of Viktor’s men appeared. Colton reacted instantly, his gun firing twice.The men fell, and we pressed on without breaking stride.

“The exit’s just ahead,” Colton called back to us. “Car’s waiting out front.”

“Are we in Paris?”

“Just outside of the city,” Colton answered.

We burst out into the cool night air, and I gulped it in gratefully. Freedom was so close I could taste it.

But our escape wasn’t going to be that easy.

“Freeze, Cooper,” Viktor commanded. “Do you really think I’m going to let you take away such a valuable commodity without a fight?”

Cooper set me gently on my feet, pushing me behind him protectively. “It’s finished, Viktor. My clients don’t want to work with you—and they never will. You’ve lost. Let it go.”

Viktor laughed, the sound chilling. “Oh, Cooper. I’m afraid I can’t do that. Your girlfriend has become quite valuable to me. And if I can’t use her to ensure your cooperation, well...there are other markets for pretty women like her.”

“I warned you, Viktor.” Another voice echoed through the dark night. My father’s voice cut through the tension as he emerged from the shadows, his men materializing around us. His face was a mask of cold fury, but when his eyes landed on me, they held something I hadn’t seen since childhood—concern. “I gave you a chance to do this the civilized way.”

Viktor’s smile faltered slightly. “Laurent. This is a surprise. Though perhaps it shouldn’t be. A father’s love is quite the motivator, isn’t it?”

“Love?” My father’s laugh was bitter. “No, Viktor. This isn’t about love. This is about honor. About lineswe don’t cross.”

He glanced at me, something like regret flickering in his features. “I’ve done many things I’m not proud of; I used my own daughter as a pawn in my games. But selling her? Trafficking her like common merchandise? That’s beneath even me.”

“Your daughter?” Viktor’s laugh was bitter. “The same daughter you were willing to use as bait to trap Moreau? Don’t pretend to have moral high ground here, Laurent.”

My father’s expression hardened. “There are lines even I won’t cross, Viktor.” He shook his head.

“Father,” I spoke up, my voice stronger than I felt. “Why are you here?”

Something flickered in his eyes again—regret? Concern? I couldn’t tell. “Because despite everything, you’re still my daughter. And some things are sacred, even in our world.”

Viktor’s men shifted nervously, clearly unsure which threat to focus on. Cooper kept me behind him, his body tense as a bowstring as he assessed the situation.

“You’re making a mistake, Laurent,” Viktor warned. “Think of the opportunities we could—”

The crack of a gunshot cut him off. Viktor stumbled backward, blood blossoming on his chest. My father stood with his gun raised, smoke still curling from the barrel.

“The only mistake,” my father said calmly, “was thinking you could touch my daughter and live.”

All hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted from all sides as Viktor’s men opened fire. Cooper pulled me down, covering my body with his own as bulletswhizzed overhead. Through the chaos, I could hear my father barking orders, his men moving with deadly precision.

When the shooting finally stopped, I dared to look up. Viktor lay motionless by his SUV, his men either dead or fled. My father’s men were securing the perimeter, moving with deadly efficiency.

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