Page 243 of Inferno

He laughs, and my anger continues to brew. I expect him to walk back towards me, but instead, his sights shift to Drago.

I can’t look.

The sound of fabric ripping fills the empty barn.

“Charlotte, it’s no fun you looking at the floor, is it? Come on, eyes on your husband. Watch how good I am at slicing up meat. That’s why I got the farm. To practice.”

I feel physically sick.

Drago’s nostrils flare as Vlad slowly draws the knife from between his pecs, all the way down to his belly button.

A trail of blood follows the silver.

Drago hisses, his face reddening. If he could get out of those chains, he would stomp Vlad into the ground.

He’s bigger and stronger than him, and far more trained.

How the hell did he land up here?

“You’re a fucking asshole, Vlad. You will pay for this,” Drago warns, his eyes full of fury.

“By who? Huh? I answer to no one,” Vlad replies smugly.

“Your sister. You, like all of us, are under her control. You can’t deny it. You are nothing compared to her.”

It’s Drago’s turn to smirk.

“Truth hurts, doesn’t it? Asshole. Once Tatiana finds out the truth, you’ll be a dead man. I should have told her years ago.”

A growl erupts from Vlad’s chest, and he fires his fist into Drago’s gut, eliciting an agonizing cry from Drago.

“So does my fist,” Vlad spits back and backs away.

As Vlad’s phone rings, he huffs and pulls it out of his pants pocket, his eyebrow twitching before he cuts it off.

It starts again immediately, and he shoves it back in his pocket, spinning to face me.

“Your turn, wife.” He waves the knife in the air, and my body starts to shake.

I let out a hiss of air as he runs it along my jaw and settles it against my throat.

“Beg for your life.”

I shake my head.

“No.”

“Beg!” he screams in my face, his saliva coating my skin.

“Beg you, bitch! Beg for my mercy. Beg to become my whore. Tell me you belong to me. Tell me how fucking sorry you are.”

My heart almost beats out of my ribs, his words cutting into me.

“Why? Why do you even want me, Vlad? Why not get a woman who doesn’t find you repulsive?”

I doubt she exists. The man has the personality of a brick wall.

“Because we’re married. I chose you, and I will never let you go.” He presses the blade harder against my skin, and I swallow.

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