Page 91 of Doc

“That wasn’t your decision to make,” I say, knowing he doesn’t care what I have to say. The more I get him talking, though…the more information I can gather, the better. “Soren is your son, and if you’re upset with him, that’s one thing, but you shouldn’t have gotten in between another father and his son. Especially knowing how close Soren is to his friends.”

“Mak’s sons are too…attached to Soren. It is unhealthy for them all. Though I blame my useless nephew for dragging the four of them down the path of depravity.” His eyes meet mine, so similar to Soren’s, but cold and lifeless, whereas my Daddy’s are bright and full of love.

“Andyou,” he sneers.

“Me.” I touch my chest, voice going high and light, as if I don’t understand what he’s implying.

“You’ve sunk your claws into my son and corrupted him. You and your pathetic excuse for aBoss.”

“Cristian Amato is a better man than you’ll ever be. Don’t be jealous that he has someone who loves him and you don’t.”

Nikolai scoffs. “Love? There’s no room for that in this life, and there’s no such thing as love between two men.”

I laugh, long and loud, as I take a step forward. “I hate to rain on your parade, but you’re so full of shit.”

He reaches behind himself and I still when he pulls a gun on me. “I don’t have to listen to you. I’m only doing this for my son’s own good, and maybe yours, too.”

I shake my head and take another slow step toward him.

He’s off his fucking rocker.

“I’d like to see how that works out for you.”

He narrows his eyes. “Are you fucking stupid? I’m going to kill you, and you think this is a joke?”

I laugh humorlessly. “Oh, I know you’re going totry, but you’ve made one. Critical. Error.”

Before he has a chance to ask questions, or figure out my intentions, I launch myself at him. Tennant is going to murder me for being so reckless, but there’s no other option.

With me literally on top of him as I knock him off balance, he can’t shoot me. The hallway is far too exposed to try to run back to my office, and I don’t have good odds at getting into one of the examination rooms lining the hall before he can get a shot or two off.

So, needs must.

Nikolai loses his balance as I throw myself at him, and we both crash to the floor. It’s a scramble of arms and legs as he tries to push me off, but I won’t be deterred.

I manage to stab him a few times, but I don’t have enough leverage or room to get him nice and deep. Still, seeing his blood stain his skin is satisfying.

A blow across my face knocks me off balance. My vision swims for a moment and blood fills my mouth. Without hesitation, I spit at him, aiming for his face. That earns me another hit to the head, but it doesn’t hurt nearly as badly as the first.

Hooking a leg around his, I throw him further off balance as he tries to get up. Nikolai falls on me and it knocks the windout of me, but it’s better than him standing up and shooting me point-blank.

With him on top of me, there aren’t many options, but that doesn’t mean I’m powerless. His throat is right there, and if I can get the angle right, this can be all over within moments of hitting his artery. With a quick flick of my wrist, I tear his skin open across the side of his neck, missing my target, but still ending up in a shower of blood.

Pulling the scalpel out, I adjust my grip again, the slick blood coating my fingers and the handle, making me fumble for a moment.

It gives him enough time to hit me again, and dive to the side for his gun. I try to stab him in his side and back, aiming for his kidney, but he knocks me down once more. The feel of cold metal under my chin as he straddles me, gun pressed painfully into my flesh, has everything in me stilling.

My heart whooshes through my ears, every molecule in my body aware of the precarious position I’m in. The only satisfaction I have is that he’s steadily bleeding on me. Maybe he’ll survive this, but knowing I’ve injured him badly enough to bleed everywhere is comforting. Even if I die here, my Daddy will know I fought for him. Forus.

Dying doesn’t scare me, it hasn’t since my first experience twenty-two years ago. What does scare me is leaving Daddy alone. I know the Amatos and James will take care of him, but that doesn’t make it any easier.

Nikolai leans over me. “You’re not so tough, are you? Playing games you have no stake in.”

I grin at him. “As I said, you made a critical error.” Taking as deep and slow a breath as I can, I tighten and then loosen my grip on the scalpel.

“And what’s that? From where I’m sitting, you’re the one about to die.” His arm twitches slightly as he adjusts his grip on the gun. I imagine he presses his finger against the trigger.

“I’m an Amato,” I say softly. With that, I bring my arm up, knocking his away, even as I aim the blade at his neck.

---