Page 101 of Fallen Saint

Astra doesn’t flinch.

Oscar, however, takes the bait. “That’s rich, coming from you, as you have no qualms coming into other people’s homes and disrespecting them.”

“What are you talking about?”

Oscar throws his cards on the table, pushing back his chair with force as he stands. “It’s okay for you to take as you please. But when someone else does, it’s punishable.”

“You have all gone mad!” Alek cries, shaking his head in disbelief.

“You came into my home, shaming me, and now, it’s time we do the same.”

And there it is. The real reason we’re here.

“Go!” Saint whispers, his eyes urgent. But when I take a step toward the door, Borya stands coolly, reaching into his pocket and producing a gun.

“We’re not done yet.” He trains the gun on me.

I stop dead in my tracks, raising my trembling hands in surrender.

Alek comes to a quick stand, his body vibrating in absolute wrath. “How did you get that in here? Past security?”

My gaze swings to Saint for answers. Is this part of his plan? But when he interlocks his hands behind his nape, looking at this shitstorm unfold, I know he’s just as surprised as I am.

Astra tsks him as she leans back in her seat, enjoying the show. “Your newfound…emotional tie to that girl makes you weak. Your men can see it. We all can. You’re losing power. Your loyalty is slipping. Your guards betrayed you because they can see you’ve gone soft. They need a new leader, one who isn’t afraid of getting their hands dirty.”

“And who might that be, Astra?” he snarls, curling his lip in disgust.

Finally, she rises, graceful and composed. She runs a hand through her hair, smiling. “Why me, of course.”

When Borya stands by her, his gun still aimed at me, she adds, “And my king.”

“Over my dead body.”

“That can be arranged,” Borya says, watching closely as Astra lifts the hem of her dress and retrieves a gun from the leather holster attached to her thigh. She points it at Alek.

“So this game of poker was just a ploy to get me alone? Is that it?”

“Yes and no,” she replies as I watch on in horror. “You were always going to lose this game, Aleksei. But the rules have changed. We want the name of your supplier. You give that to us, and we will let you and your little pet live.”

“And if I don’t?”

Borya’s grin is malevolent as he peers at me. “Then we get creative.”

“We don’t want to kill you, Aleksei. We have been friends since we were ten years old. But watching you…pine after that girl is an embarrassment to us all. You show weakness, and we can’t have that.” There is no question Astra is the ring leader. I wonder if she was always this way.

“And what do you get out of all of this?” Alek focuses on Oscar, who is standing back and watching the show.

“A say in how we run things, of course. Oh,” he adds casually, “and youra????.”

Saint advances forward, gripping Oscar by the arm and spinning him around fiercely. “That wasn’t part of the deal. She was to go, unharmed.”

Oscar smirks, running his fingers over Saint’s grip. “I lied. Besides, I like her. I like watching what she does to you.”

If it weren’t for me watching this unfold, then I wouldn’t believe it. But here I stand, witness to such atrocities, and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.

Alek narrows his eyes, staring at the man he believed to be Dominic. “Saint?” he gasps, a wave of surprise passing over him.

With his ruse up, Saint rips off his mask and drops it by his feet. He meets Alek’s eyes, unbending. “Hello, Alek.”

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