Page 64 of Mafia King's Ruthless Obsession

“Hand her over,” he rasps. “Vladimir wants her alive. But I don’t mind telling him you killed her.”

“She’s not yours. She’smine.” I snarl.

I step forward, fully shielding Galina with my body, every muscle coiled and ready to strike. Matvei’s eyes flicker, calculating. He’s smaller, wiry, and primed with desperation. And desperate men are dangerous.

His gun lifts.

So does mine.

We lock eyes across the narrow corridor, barrels raised, both of us one breath away from pulling the trigger.

Then he tries to fake me out—subtle, quick. His weight shifts, his stance adjusts, like he’s about to pivot around me. His aim slides ever so slightly, not toward me, but toward the woman behind me.

Too late.

I shift with him, stepping in tighter, keeping my body between him and Galina, raising my gun higher. My finger curls against the trigger. One more inch, and I’ll drop him where he stands.

But the wail of sirens splits the air—sharp, rising.

Police.

We both freeze.

Matvei’s snarl falters as the sound grows louder, closer. Red and blue lights flicker against the walls like a warning flare. He glances over his shoulder, calculating the odds.

And this time, even he knows they’re not in his favor.

He can’t afford to finish this here. Not with the cops that close. Not when the walls are closing in.

“This isn’t over,” he spits, already backing away into the shadows.

“Oh, Ihopenot,” I mutter. “I’m keeping your grave warm.”

He disappears like smoke, and the second he’s gone, Galina turns on me, furious.

“You let himgo?” she snaps. “You had a clear shot?—”

“Use your head,” I snap back. “The police are building a case. If I shoot someone in this club, they won’t just close it, they’ll bury me with it. You want me behind bars when your uncle comes for you next?”

She glares but says nothing.

“Exactly,” I growl. “I let him go to protectus.To protectyou.”

Silence hangs between us, tense and heavy.

“So now what?” she finally asks, glancing toward the street-level door. “Do we go back?”

I shake my head once. “No,lisichka.I’m taking you home.”

Chapter 19

Unraveling the Beast

Galina

Victory feels hollow in Vasiliy’s penthouse.

The windows stretch from floor to ceiling, offering a glittering view of Manhattan’s endless sprawl, but all I see is my reflection. Tired. Frustrated. Trapped. I should feel safe after the chaos at the club, but the silence here hums like a threat.

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