Page 65 of Sinful Embers

I force myself to see. To take in what my blind rage had covered up. There are guards positioned strategically—watchful, alert. If I fire, even once, we won’t make it five feet before bullets rip through us.

Sabrina’s nails press harder into my wrist. “Calm down Speedy,” she murmurs. “We need a plan.”

I exhale slowly, reigning in the beast clawing inside me. “Fine. Do you have a plan? Because I forgot mine back at the inn as my mind was all consumed with finding Leigh. So I’m open to any suggestions.”

A slow grin curves her lips. “I think I might just an idea.”

Before I can stop her, Sabrina is already moving, slipping through the trees like a wraith. I curse under my breath, gripping my gun tighter.

Then, suddenly, chaos.

A loud, jarring crash echoes through the garden as Sabrina somehow manages to tip over the ugly waterfall fountain doing the garden a great service. Leigh gets startled, her head whipping toward the sound. Dmitri tenses beside her, alreadyrising to his feet. I wait poised catching a glimpse of Sabrina nestled in the tree line opposite me.

Leigh and Dmitri wonder over to the statue. Just a few more inches…

Now.

I lunge from the shadows, my body a coiled weapon.

Dmitri barely turns before my fist slams into his jaw. A sharp, satisfying crack vibrates through my knuckles. His head snaps back, and he staggers. I don’t give him time to recover. I hit him again—harder. He crumples, out cold.

Leigh gasps, stumbling back, her eyes wide, disbelieving.

“Radomir?” Her voice is barely a whisper, her hands trembling.

Then, suddenly, she’s crying—sobbing.

I barely register the movement before Sabrina is there, pulling Leigh into her arms. “Oh, Leigh,” she murmurs, stroking her hair. “I know. I know. You must be beside yourself. But we have to go.”

Leigh clings to her, her body shaking.

I step toward her, my hands itching to touch, to pull her into me. But there’s no time.

“We need to move, now,” I grind out, scanning the area.

We can’t risk staying here. The crash might have drawn attention, and once the guards realize Dmitri is missing, we’ll have a fucking army on our asses.

But then—

“No.”

Leigh pulls away from Sabrina, wiping at her eyes. “We can’t leave him.”

My entire body locks up. “What?”

Leigh points at Dmitri’s unconscious form. “Carlos will kill him.”

“Good.” I spit the word, fury crackling in my veins. “Maybe we’ll be lucky and they’ll kill each other.”

“Or maybe,” Sabrina muses, “if we take him, Carlos will come looking for him.” She lifts a brow. “And you can finally kill that maniac.” She shrugs. “You know—two birds—one stone.”

A dark thrill courses through me at the thought.

But I don’t give a shit about Dmitri. I don’t.

Then I see it.

The bruises on Leigh’s wrists.

---