Page 150 of Fall into Savagery

That I would be the object of deference when it came to men who killed for a living.

I looked around the place, with Damien on one side of me, and Mikhail on my other. I took hold of Mikhail’s hand, leaning back. Nikolay stood directly behind us.

I was surrounded and protected on all sides.

I looked up at the house.

This house …

It looked smaller than I remembered.

The land that surrounded that, though remained vast and empty, the house didn’t seem so intimidating as it once had.

I was instantly drawn back to the day I had left with Agnello to visit Dr. Russo for my hymen test.

It felt like so long ago.

But I distinctly remember coming back home, getting out of the car, looking at the space surrounding me, and feeling nothing but small and insignificant.

Leaving this place had felt impossible at the time.

Now …

My heart stuttered.

Why did it look so small?

Surrounded by so many people on this property, why did it feel so … insignificant?

It wasn’t fair.

My abuse, experience, and trauma were very real.

But coming back, it felt as if I had imagined the whole thing.

Like perhaps, I had put more weight on it than it deserved.

Mikhail squeezed my hand. “Okay,kotyonok?”

I turned to him and nodded. “Yeah. It’s just … This house looks smaller than I remember.”

He seemed to understand what I meant because he nodded. “And about to get even smaller.”

He nodded to the men standing nearby, and they all moved out, holding onto red, gasoline-filled containers.

I didn’t know why I was surprised by the act. I was told we would burn this place down, but the reality of it hadn’t really made its way into my mind until I saw this.

I took in all of my men before turning my attention back to the house. “The workers?”

“They all left when Agnello ran out on the place.”

I nodded. I never really gave much thought to any of the people working here.

Roberto had been the only constant in this household, though Rosie lasted a few years. I assumed that was because she had been fucking Agnello since the beginning of her employment.

I wrinkled my nose at the thought.

“You want to do the honors, baby?” Nikolay asked, handing me a silver Zippo.

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