Page 68 of Twisted Kings

I knelt down in front of her, curious about where this was going.

“And what about my father? He’s still pakhan, and he isn’t about to step down anytime soon.” Even if he should.

Ekaterina looked up eagerly. “I can deal with him. Make it look like an accident. Then we could be together, lyubimyy!”

My fingers slid around her throat as I leaned in, noting how her pupils dilated with excitement. The sick bitch got off on thiskind of thing. She loved it when I squeezed her throat during sex.

“You think you can rule by my side? Give me an heir?”

“Yes! I’m still fertile, lyubimyy!”

The lying whore. She’d had her tubes tied years ago.

“Hmm…” I pretended to consider it as snowflakes floated down from a black sky. It was cold enough to freeze hell out here, but Ekaterina was oblivious, too caught up in her delusions. “No.”

It took a moment for my reply to register. “No?” she repeated.

“No, cyka, you won’t be ruling by my side. When I become pakhan, I’ll choose a young bride, someone who can bear my children. A woman who’ll be loyal to me. Not a barren whore who’ll fuck anything that moves and then stab me in the back.”

Ekaterina shrieked as my words sank in. She fought to free herself, but I gripped her harder, enjoying the way her eyes bulged as it dawned on her that she’d played her hand and lost.

Nails scraped my skin, but she was weak, and the cold had stolen most of her energy. The moment she passed out, I dropped her in the snow. Lurid purple bruises stained her neck. For a moment, I admired my work. She’d have fun hiding the bruises tomorrow. Dad would be suspicious, but Ekaterina would no doubt smooth things over like she always did.

Anton appeared at my back. “I’ll take her back to her suite,” he said. “Wipe the cameras, too, in case she wakes up with revenge in mind.”

“Good idea.” I honestly hadn’t thought of the repercussions of throttling my dear stepmother half to death, which was stupid. While I hoped my father would take my side, there was a possibility he’d believe her over me, and punish me accordingly.

I suspected he knew something, which was why he’d sent me to Abernethy. Getting me out of the way was easier than admitting to himself his wife was a traitorous whore. Althoughthe old bastard had well and truly fallen under her spell, he wasn’t completely blind.

“Keep a copy of the footage. I might need it one day.”

Anton nodded and then slung an unconscious Ekaterina over his shoulder while I headed back to my room to pack. It was time to leave. Dad could draw his own conclusions when I failed to appear at breakfast in the morning.

31

Thea

When Kyril held me in his arms, I felt safe. I wasn’t a petite woman by any means, but he acted like I weighed no more than a twig. Being thrown around in the bedroom by a powerful man was definitely a kink I could get on board with.

His muscles flexed as he carried me up the narrow stairs to my attic room. We hadn’t spent the night together yet, but something told me he wasn’t planning on leaving anytime soon.

Sure enough, the minute he placed me on the bed, he stripped off his shirt and pants.

“Is this a late Christmas gift?” I asked, my gaze drawn to his cut abs and very obvious erection tenting the front of his boxers.

“Only if you want me,kotenok,” he smirked before his amusement faded. “But you look tired, so sleep is what you need.”

“Thanks.” Being told I looked like shit was what every woman wanted to hear. I hopped off the bed and padded into the bathroom to use the facilities and brush my teeth. When I looked in the mirror, I could see exactly what Kyril meant.

Faint shadows, like bruises, under my eyes, combined with a ghostly pallor on my cheeks, meant I really wasn’t looking my best.

Wonderful.

Tiredness and stress were kicking my ass big time. That and the constant little niggle in my head that loved to remind me I might be pregnant.

At least none of them suspected anything. Since escaping my father’s estate, I’d avoided alcohol, using Verity as an excuse. Sticking to fruit juice, hot chocolate, herbal tea, and water all day had so far not aroused anybody’s suspicions.

The tiredness was definitely becoming a problem, however. I was no expert on early pregnancy symptoms, but a brief look at Google told me fatigue was common. That and sore breasts. But the most telling sign I might be pregnant was the fact my period was now late.

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