Page 63 of Fatal Bonds

“You didn’t seem to have a problem with that in your office, you sick prick,” I snap, backing away from him slowly.

His low chuckle is devoid of warmth, and I shudder when he smiles. “Imagine my surprise when he came charging in to rescue you that day. I’ve never seen him throw himself into a fight for a woman like that before. It wasn’t too hard to put two and two together after that, though. All I had to do was watch and wait, because I knew Maks was coming for me. I just didn’t know when.”

“You deserve to rot in hell for what you’ve done,” I say, putting my flight instincts on lockdown as I keep my eyes trained on his gun. I can’t run with him pointing it at me, but I’m watching for an opening, waiting for the first opportunity.

“Feisty, aren’t you? I can see why Maks like you. You’re certainly his type. I don’t mind when girls have a bit of a fight in them, but I think I liked you better when you were pretending to be an innocent little college student, ready to get on her knees for me.”

An incredulous snort escapes me before I can stop it. The guy’s delusional if he thinks I was at all ready for that.

As Emiliano stalks closer, his sleazy silver-fox vibe on high, the door opens once more, and my heart jumps into my throat. For one fleeting moment, I think it might be Maks. Instead, three of Emiliano’s men, dressed in black suits but no masks, step in.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way,Lindsey, but tonight, I intend to teach that overgrown Russian ape of yours a lesson,” Emiliano says, setting his gun on the coffee table in front of him. Then he shrugs out of his flashy green-and-gold blazer and folds it across the arm of the couch.

My gut tightens at the momentary reprieve from having his gun on me. It’s too far away to grab, and with the three new men barring the exits, I know I don’t have a chance of escape, but my eyes search wildly for a window of opportunity. I freeze, starting to tremble uncontrollably when Emiliano’s gaze returns to me, his desire growing.

“What are you going to do to me?” I ask, dread sinking into the pit of my stomach.

“For starters, we can finish what we began in my office.” Removing the cufflinks from his dress shirt, he drops them on the coffee table with a soft clink and starts to roll up his sleeves.

“You can go fuck yourself if you think I’ll ever let you touch me,” I spit. I know I’m not doing myself any favors, talking to him like that, but I can’t stop myself. I feel like a cornered animal, desperately lashing out to protect myself in any way I can, but my words are all I have.

Emiliano’s low chuckle slithers up my spine, and my stomach curdles at the thought of his hands on me.Where the fuck is everybody?I’m not really interested in being a damsel in distress, but I could really use a bit of help right now.

“Let me?” he asks, wrapping his fingers around his gun once more, and when he picks it up, aiming it squarely at my chest, the blood drains from my face, leaving me dizzy with fear. “How about you take off your clothes, and I won’t put a bullet in you right now?”

“You wouldn’t,” I breathe. “Someone would hear it.”

Emiliano huffs and thumbs the hammer, cocking the gun with a soft click.

“Try me.”

27

MAKS

“If you want to live, then strip, you little bitch.”

Blood roars in my ears as I catch Emiliano’s oily voice, though it’s muffled by the thick door. I know it’s him. I would recognize that voice anywhere, and I tighten my chokehold around his guard’s neck, urging the man to die faster. The last two I killed, I dragged inside the sideroom with me to avoid calling unwanted attention to myself. Now they’re sprawled across the floor at my feet. My frustration rises with each man who delays me, and fear drives me toward desperation, because there’s a very real possibility that I might not reach Lindsey before it’s too late.

“Can’t we just talk about this?” she asks on the other side of the door.

Hearing her voice helps me cling to sanity a little longer, and I’m impressed by how calm she sounds, though she looked terrified as Emiliano dragged her from the ballroom.

“I’m sure we can work something out,” she reasons. “Honestly, it’s not like he cares all that much about me. I’m just his prisoner.”

That’s not even a little bit true, but if it’ll save her life, for once, I don’t mind the lie.

“Do you think I’m blind? I’ve seen the way he looks at you. So don’t fucking play with me.”

“I promise, hurting me isn’t going to do what you think it will. Why do you think he sent me into your office that day? Because I’m disposable.”

The guard who’s taking way to fucking long to die slaps frantically at my arms, his fingers clawing my suit jacket as he tries to break my hold, but from the purple shade of his complexion, it’s just a last-ditch effort to save his pathetic life.

“Your friends didn’t seem to think so when they saw the size of that rock. But I guess we’ll find out who’s right after I ruin you and send you back to Maks—just like I did his pretty little niece. Though I doubt you’re a virgin like she was, are you?”

Lindsey hurls a string of insults his way, but Emiliano doesn’t even seem to notice as his voice takes on a hint of amusement.

“But who knows? I might still enjoy it. I’ll certainly enjoy taking what’s his, and after I’ve used you, maybe Maks won’t want you anymore. He hates me enough that I doubt he’d take my sloppy seconds. One can hope. Now, take off that fucking dress!”

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