Page 101 of Dance with Death

“Then we take her back.”

“Together? Or do you plan to off me once I deliver her back to you? Because I’ll tell you what, I’m not letting that happen. She fucking needs me, especially with you.”

“This isn’t a negotiation,” he hisses through his teeth.

“You can’t do this without me. She’s on the edge, Nikolai. If you kill me once you have her back, she’ll find a way to kill herself—you and I both know she will. She’ll have nothing left if you do that.”

His eyes blink with offense, flickering with something resembling hurt. “She would have me.”

It almost makes me feel sorry for him.

Almost.

I sigh. “I will help you. You know I will because I want her the fuck away from the Vittoris. But I will also protect her from you at the expense of my own goddamn life.” I step forward into his space. “I will lay down my life for her and if you make it come to that, then you’ll havenothingleft because she will chase me into death. Youknowthat.”

He grinds his jaw. “Are youdone? We’re wasting time.”

“Tell me that you hear me, Nikolai.”

“I hear you.” He plants his palm on my chest and shoves me, bouncing my back off the wall again. “Now hear me. I’m still your goddamn master and you will obey me, so listen closely. Anya ismine.She has always beenmine. I made a mistake selling her to Vigo, but I’m ready to rectify that mistake. I’m bringing her home because she belongs tome. Help me get her back to Mikhailov Manor and we will discuss your status as her pet. And mine. Now. Do we have an understanding?”

My fist desperately wants to collide with his face, but I fucking hear him. I have to hear him and go with this because I want my girl back. I was going to chase after her anyway…at least this way, I’ll have back-up.

I suppose when you’re in hell, it’s better to go with the devil who rules than the rogue demon. At least the devil can grant my wishes before taking another piece of my soul.

All that matters is Anya.

I feel her fading.

It’s a snap that bursts right over my heart, the familiar vibration of her slipping away from life. I’d felt that snap before—when Nikolai had drowned her in the pool.

“Understood,” I tell him. “Tell me what to do.”

He lets out a breath. “You’re going to run and Kostya and I will come after you. Simple. It won’t seem suspect to anyone here. Youarean unruly slave, one who just can’t seem to control his goddamn emotions when it comes to that girl. You go after her and we go after you.”

I shake my head, trying to make sense of this too-damn-easy-to-actually-work plan. “If I run, everyone will see. They’ll just follow you to help you get me under control. We won’t be able to help her then.”

“No one will follow. There won’t be a need with Kostya and I handling it, and we’ll tell anyone who tries the same. You wouldn’t be the first slave who tried to run impulsively at a meeting. We don’t have much time. We need to take her before everyone starts leaving the reception. There will be enough people moving about then to cause a distraction so we can sneak out with her. I’ve always hated the excessive guest list when the Vittoris host, but I suppose large numbers play in our favor today.”

I link my fingers together on top of my head. “But they’ll know. They’ll know what you did when you don’t show up to the meeting, won’t they? What happens then? Will she even be safe if you take her back? What will they do?”

“What happens then is my problem, not yours. But we need to take her back to Mikhailov Manor tonight. There’s something she needs, something I need to tell her, something I need to give her.”

“What?”

His nostrils flare and he grabs my shoulder, shoving me back in the direction of the reception. “We’re wasting time.Run.”

Fuck.

This is really happening.

Not only is Nikolai letting me go after my girl, he’s demanding it. When my heart unexpectedly drops into my gut, I don’t give it another thought. That sinking feeling punches me with the instinct I’ve been waiting for and it’s guiding me to do just what he said.Run.

So, I run.

I rush back into the reception and barrel my way into the throng of people milling about. My sights are set on getting back to the staircase. My shoulder bumps into someone on my right and as I veer left, I nearly slam into a pair of chatting women. I turn and sidestep between them as they jump back, spilling whatever was in their glasses.

As I reach the bottom step, I hear Nikolai’s voice booming after me. “Ezra. Stop!”

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