Page 121 of Scarlet Secrets

“I don’t usually have to put them away. Is something wrong? Vitor just said to help out.”

Vitor. Fuck.

I storm outside and there he is, my so-called head of security, smoking and laughing with another guard. His guns and radio are in a pile by the door and he’s leaning on an SUV. I look at them, then him.

I’ve got no fucking idea if this was due to his being a double-crossing prick or negligence, but neither stands. Fact is new driver means he’s to watch over anyone coming into the house. And make sure all are accounted for. And to top it off, he didn’t send the order to lock the gate.

He half turns to me and I grab him and slice his throat, blood spurting onto the guard he was talking to.

Vitor gurgles and I drop him, letting him bleed out.

“Clean this up,” I tell the other man.

Other guards appear, and no one speaks.

“Do your fucking job. I want to know who came in, a description of the fucking driver of the truck, and who was with him. Or you’ll all be fucking next!”

Chapter Thirty

ERIN

I stareat the wall in my room while Ilya continues to try to engage me in banter.

Deeper conversation failed, asking me questions failed, and now he’s trying to get me with his damned banter.

Normally, it would work. I like Ilya, but I don’t want to talk. I want to be left alone and lick my wounds and silently condemn Demyan.

How could he do this? Marry another woman?

I can’t believe it.

It would be one thing for him to be engaged and discover he had a son. I could understand that. He’d have to work things out in sharing Sasha with me.

Sharing? I almost laugh.

I don’t know if he does that. And I can’t see him spending time with me and having another woman. Or at least, I couldn’t. But he’s got one.

He’s got another woman and he’s been sleeping with me. He’s got another woman and he’s been lying to me. About love. About a future. About marrying me. Something he demanded.

I shake my head.

Oh Christ, is this some kind of sick, twisted revenge? A form of payback? He nearly broke me when he kicked the door down. When he taunted me by showing me the video of Sasha after locking me in that room.

What kind of sick, horrible man is he and how the hell do I even have feelings for him?

Sure, he tried telling me some bullshit about it all, that it was a means to an end and I’m the one he wants to be with. But if that was true, then how the hell is he engaged still?

I want my son. I want Demyan so I can scream at him.

Ilya’s saying something about Demyan, and I turn. He stops talking at whatever look is on my face.

I imagine it isn’t very pretty, because there are some ugly emotions in me right now. And I glare at him some more.

“Did you know?”

He hesitates a moment, then sighs. “He told me earlier. After the interrupted poker game.”

“I’m going to kill him and you’re going to help me.” I stop. “Actually, get my son and you can help us get far away. I hate all of you. Except Alina.”

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