Page 94 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

“Leave him alone.” My voice is weak, but I’m afraid to raise it. I’m afraid for Theo to see me struggling and screaming. I don’t want to scare him. I just want to appeal to whatever scrap of mercy Fedor might have left.

Then again, if I don’t fight, this could be the last moment I ever see my son.

“Leave him alone,” I repeat, my voice stronger.

Theo senses how upset I am and starts to wriggle in Fedor’s grasp, his little confused face screwed up. “Get off my mom!”

Fedor grunts, trying to keep hold on the writhing little boy while trying not to succumb to the pain of his injuries. “Tell him to calm down or I’ll calm him down myself. I don’t have any problems carrying an unconscious kid out of here like a sack of potatoes.”

My stomach roils and suddenly the fight drains out of me. “Theo,” I say. “Theo, baby, it’s okay. Just settle down, okay? These are friends of Viktor’s.”

The sound of Viktor’s name settles him. That’s when I realize Theo’s been crying. Tears streak down his face and he wipes a balled-up fist under his runny nose. “What about you, Mom?”

“I’ll be okay,” I say, trying not to cry, too. Maybe if he cooperates, Fedor won’t hurt him. But it will be harder for Theo to cooperate if I’m falling apart. My throat hurts from how hard I’m trying to keep my emotion in check.

Rio is still holding me down, but I do my best to remain what little dignity I have left as I shift my attention to Fedor. I have to try one more time. “Can’t we talk about this? You don’t want the responsibility. Believe me. We can share custody. You have a lawyer. Let’s talk to him.”

Fedor keeps his eyes on me as he tips his head towards Theo. “Take the kid, Rio. I don’t want him to see her die.”

My heart lurches. I want to grab for Theo, but if I do, Fedor will shoot me. And I don’t want Theo to see that.

There is no way out.

My chest feels like it’s being closed in a vise-like grip. I can’t breathe, can’t think.

Rio grabs Theo. My son reaches out for me, and I try to move towards him for one last goodbye—

“Don’t,” Fedor says. The crazed look in his eyes from the other night is gone now, replaced with something stable and dark. My hope of appealing to his merciful side vanishes. He has no merciful side.

Rio wrangles a struggling Theo and tries to move towards the door, but suddenly, he freezes.

I don’t see anything, but we all hear it: the readying of a rifle.

Rio backs up into the living room and the person holding the rifle moves out of the shadows.

I could cry with relief when I see George. He is older than everyone in the room and less fit, but he has a bigger gun and much more training. Viktor told me he was in the military for most of his life. George has an arsenal of weapons that could rival most Bratva members.

As soon as George is in the room, he levels the gun at Fedor.

“Put your gun down or I’ll kill her,” Fedor says, waving the gun he has pointed at me.

“You’ll kill her anyway,” George says. “So, I’ll keep my gun where it is, thanks.”

I don’t have any idea how George can be so calm, but I’m grateful for his presence. Especially as Fedor’s eyes grow hard and distant.

“If killing her is inevitable, then why don’t you turn and leave?” Fedor says. “Viktor will kill you when he realizes you failed to save her.”

“Because I’ve wanted to kill you for a long time. If I have to die for it, so be it.” George shrugs. “Kill her, and I’ll kill you.”

Fedor narrows his eyes in assessment.

“Are you doubting my honesty or my skill?” George asks. “Believe me, I’m an honorable man. If I tell you I’m going to kill you, I mean it. And if it is my skill that worries you, I served overseas for three tours. If you think I risked my life to come back to the States and let scum like you kill women and kidnap their babies, you’re wrong.”

“I don’t have to kill her. We can compromise. Just let me take my son.” Fedor reaches out a hand, gesturing for Rio to hand Theo over, but suddenly there is a loud, ear-splitting shot and the vase behind Fedor’s hand explodes.

“You can’t have the boy,” George explains slowly. “If you want to walk out of here alive, leave the kid.”

Rio drops his hold on Theo immediately, obviously taking George’s threats seriously, and Theo runs to me.

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