Page 74 of Twisted Vows

“Doubt it,” he replies sharply, his gaze shifting.

I want to look away. The weight of his fury and protectiveness is almost too much. “There’s someone else,” I say quickly. “Nikolai wasn’t alone. He was talking to someone.”

Maxsim’s jaw tightens. “Inside?”

I nod. “He might still be in there.”

Maxsim doesn’t hesitate. He jerks his head toward the guesthouse, issuing a clipped order to Anton and Pasha. “Secure Nikolai. Don’t let him out of your sight.”

“What about—” Anton starts, but Maxsim cuts him off with a look.

“I’ll handle it.”

The air shifts as Maxsim turns toward the guesthouse. I follow him before I can stop myself.

“Ari,” Maxsim says without turning, his voice low and commanding. “One close call is more than enough for one evening.”

I nod, gripping the damp fabric of my robe. “Alright. You take this one.”

He smirks as thunder claps overhead. “Thanks.”

The guesthouse door is ajar, light spilling into the stormy night. Maxsim moves silently, his gun raised as he pushes the door open and steps inside. I see a man in his mid-40s with a scar running down the side of his face. His hand hovers near his waistband, where I catch a glimpse of a holstered gun.

Maxsim’s voice slices through the tension. “Don’t even think about it.”

The man freezes, but it’s not Maxsim’s voice that stops him—it’s the two German Shepherds that are blocking his exit. Their low, menacing growls vibrate through the room. Teeth bared, their muscles are coiled waiting for the signal to strike. The dogs’ eyes gleam in the dim light, locked onto the stranger with unwavering focus.

The man’s gaze flickers between Maxsim and the snarling beasts, weighing his options. Slowly, he raises his hands, his expression caught between defiance and fear.

“Smart choice,” Maxsim says coldly, stepping into the room. His gun is steady, aimed directly at the man’s chest. “Who are you? And why the hell are you on my property?”

The man’s jaw tightens, his silence betraying a flicker of hesitation. His eyes dart toward the open laptop on the table, and Maxsim catches the movement instantly. Without taking his eyes—or his gun—off the intruder, Maxsim barks a command in Russian.

The dogs respond immediately, their growls deepening as they inch closer, their fangs glinting in the glow of the lamp.

“You’ve got two options,” Maxsim continues, his voice dangerously calm. “Start talking, or I let them finish what you started.”

The man exhales sharply, his defiance faltering. “You don’t understand—this isn’t about you. It’s about the bigger picture.”

Maxsim’s jaw ticks, and he steps closer, the barrel of his gun leveled with the man’s heart. “Try again.”

The man glances toward the dogs, their hackles raised and their teeth bared. His hand twitches toward his waistband, the faintest hint of desperation creeping into his expression.

It’s a mistake.

The crack of Maxsim’s gun is deafening in the enclosed space. The man cries out, collapsing to his knees as blood blooms from his shoulder. The dogs surge forward at the noise,but Maxsim barks another command, and they halt, teeth snapping inches from the man’s face.

“You just made your last mistake,” Maxsim growls, kicking the gun away from the man’s reach. “Talk—or they’ll do what they’ve been trained to do.”

The man’s lips curl into a defiant sneer, but his fear is unmistakable. “You think this scares me? You think I’m the only one—”

The dog’s growl rumbles like thunder as they circle him, ready to strike at the slightest signal.

Maxsim crouches beside him, his voice low and dangerous. “Who are you working for?”

The man groans, clutching his bleeding shoulder, but he doesn’t answer. Maxsim’s jaw tightens. With another command in Russian, the dogs snap closer, their teeth grazing the fabric of the man’s jacket. He flinches, his bravado cracking under the weight of their snarls.

“You don’t understand,” the man says finally, his voice shaking. “It’s bigger than Sal—bigger than any of us.”

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