Page 92 of Beautiful Enemy

Sergei eyes Nadia with wide eyes. “I was aiming for him. Not you. You have to believe me.”

“This could have been a lot worse,” I say. Thank god it wasn’t. Nadia could have died from that throw. And if Nadia were to die, then…

I’m not sure how I feel about it. No. That’s a lie. I know exactly how I would feel about it. I want Nadia for myself. I’ve wanted her for the past few years as I’ve watched her and her family, planning my revenge. I told myself I just wanted to use her as revenge but fuck, I want her to be mine.

And I want her to truly want me too.

“Here,” I say gently. “Get out of the way while I deal with your father. And then I’ll help you with this.”

Nadia looks at me through the tears forming in her eyes. “You’ve never spoken to me like this before.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re truly worried for me.”

There’s so much I want to say but now is not the time. “Get out of the way. I don’t want him hurting you again.” I turn back to Sergei and kick him in the stomach for good measure. “See what you did? Even if it was an accident, you still hurt your daughter. You don’t deserve to have her.”

“And you do? You’re not worthy of my daughter. Not some cheap, sleazy Italian.”

I lift my gun again. “Say goodnight, Sergei.”

“No!” Nadia grabs my arm and makes my shot go wide. Sergei looks between her and me with wide eyes before he scrambles up and grabs her around the waist. The knife in her arm falls out. Blood begins to trickle out of her wound.

“Let her go,” I growl, pointing my gun right at his head.

“I’m taking my daughter back. So unless you don’t want her to get hurt, I suggest you lower your weapon.”

“You are not taking Nadia.” Just a few weeks ago, I would have meant it because Nadia was part of my plan. Losing her would have messed everything up.

But now, I don’t want to lose Nadia because I… just don’t want to lose her.

“I am. Try to shoot me. If you don’t care for her, then you will take your shot.”

I hesitate.

I fucking hesitate.

Sergei smirks, drawing Nadia closer to him. The whimper that escapes her lips makes me want to kill Sergei on principle. “My god. You really do care for her. How’s that for irony.”

Matteo takes a step forward but I hold him back. I don’t want to risk Nadia getting shot.

“Dante,” she says. Her eyes scream at me to save her. That’s how much she hates her father: she’ll choose me, her kidnapper, over the man who raised her.

“Sergei, I am going to kill you.”

“I’d like to see you try.” He cackles.

Nadia tries fighting against his grip but it’s too strong. He pulls her out of the house. By the time I reach the doorway, he has her in his car and they’re driving away.

“We have to follow them,” I bark at Matteo. “Right now.”

We each take a separate car in case we lose sight of Sergei. I am going to get Nadia back. Not just because she’s my prisoner but because she’snotmy prisoner.

She’s just mine now.

Sergei

That annoying fucker thought he could kidnap my daughter and get away with it? No fucking way. I just did what everyone, including Erik and Viktor were incapable of.

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