Page 102 of Beautiful Deception

Erik’s eyes tighten. “Then you leave me no choice but to kill you, Viktor. If you’re going to keep causing problems, then you need to die.”

“Then fire away.”

Erik hesitates just a moment too long and that’s his mistake. Finn lifts his gun and starts firing. A bullet lands in Erik’s shoulder, knocking him back. Aiden rushes to Erik’s side and doesn’t shoot at us.

He doesn’t want to kill his brother, not even now.

“Come on,” I growl, grabbing Finn’s arm and dragging him away.

His gun points at Aiden. “I need to kill him. I need to end him.”

“Your own brother? Be fucking serious, Finn. Let’s go before we die.” I usher Finn towards his car and dive into my own and drive away before I’m killed. Dante’s guards come running out to give chase but I round the corner and lose sight of them.

Fuck. None of that went to plan.

Now I am worried about Inessa. What if Erik tries to kill her to force me to marry Aria? Erik used to do unhinged shit all the time but he’s a husband and father now. It’s calmed him. It’s made him want peace.

But he also wants peace no matter the cost.

And I just hope that Inessa is not the cost.

Inessa

Aiden bursts through the door as Elena and I sit on the couch and talk. We scramble to our feet.

“What happened?” Elena asks.

Aiden is covered in sweat… and a little bit of blood. “Erik got shot. Finn shot him. Viktor wants war. Erik suggested that Viktor marry Dante’s friend’s daughter, Aria. As way to make peace but Viktor wasn’t having it.”

He stops when he finally notices me. “Oh. Inessa is still here.”

“Yes.” Elena angles herself a little bit in front of me.

Aiden and I accidently met over a year ago when he and Elena were on the run from Finn. It was a brief moment but it was one I will never forget: mostly because Aiden held me at gunpoint to make his escape. I wasn’t hurt and Elena assured me it was just to protect her. I believed her then and I believe her now. I can tell Aiden doesn’t hurt her.

But I know in this moment that I made a mistake coming here.

Aiden doesn’t know I married Viktor. Elena promised she wouldn’t say anything.

“I should get going,” I mumble, heading for the door.

“Where have you been? I know Elena’s been missing you.”

“Busy with her dad,” Elena blurts out. “He’s been keeping her from me. But she needs to go now. Inessa, it was great catching up.” She gives me a big hug. “Stay safe,” she whispers into my ear.

“Don’t tell Aiden. My life depends on it.”

“I know.” She releases me. “Let’s try to catch up again, ok?”

“Ok.” Even though we both know there’s a good chance we cant. Our husbands are on opposite sides of this war.

I’m desperate to ask Aiden about Erik and his marriage plan for Viktor but I’m not supposed to know anything about that. And Aiden can’t know I’m tied to Viktor.

I quickly leave the house. Once I’m driving, I realize that I don’t want to go back home. The guard next to me is silent. I just have to hope he doesn’t tell Viktor about where we went today. Hopefully, he’ll think Elena’s apartment building is inconsequential and not worth mentioning to Viktor.

“I need some space,” I mutter.

“Then go back home and I’ll leave you alone. You’ll be safe in your own house.”

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