Page 144 of Fortress of the Soul

“Bloodshed?” I scoff. “Like any of your mob had any redeeming qualities. I suppose kidnapping and betrayal don’t rate too highly in your book, do they Yuri? Is that why Katiya became one of us?”

He points the gun back to me, the rage on his face and in his tone makes me understand that this is going to end badly. “I’ll fucking kill you!”

“What if I said we can come to an agreement?” My mind tries to think quickly.

He’s unstable enough to probably be conned, but I still don’t like the grip he has on that gun.

“I told you; this isn’t about money. It’s about and eye for an eye. Angelo’s most prized possession, aside from that bitch he’s shacked up with is his little sister.”

I don’t like the way he sayslittle sister.It sounds sinister and wrong coming out of his mouth.

I will fucking kill him before he hurts Valentina. I will rip his throat out with my bare hands.

“She’s not a possession, Yuri, she’s a human being. Just like Katiya was when you joined forces with the devil.”

He shoots daggers at me. “Like I care about that little murderous traitor! I tried to protect her, fat lot of good that did. I hope she burns in hell for what she’s done, for turning her back on me. I hope all of you rot in hell!”

Behind me, I hear Valentina whispering quietly in Italian.

She’s reading him his last rights. How fitting.

I need to get to my fucking gun.

“You’re mixing your metaphors,” I say, trying to stall him. “You know that whatever happens in here tonight, Angelo will find you, and he’ll gut you… slowly.”

Somehow, he seems to have lost all reason for living, and that makes us expendable.

I can feel Valentina’s other hand scrunch my shirt.

If I reach for my gun, I’ll be too slow and he’s mad enough to fucking shoot me. It’s why he came here.

“It’s quite fitting.” He laughs, nodding behind me. “Once I kill her, then I get to kill you too. If only I could see Angelo’s face once he finds out I shot his little sister and his best friend. Who knows, I might even film her last moments and send them to him for Christmas.”

He looks unwell. Like he’s been smoking meth for a week straight. I know I can overpower him, if he would just get close enough.

I’ll die before he ever lays a hand on her. Tension swirls all around me as I try to work out the best course of action.

I don’t say anything. Clearly agitating him isn’t doing me any favors.

“Angelo ti brucerà vivo!” Valentina hisses at him.Angelo will burn you alive!

I feel her chin against my shoulder as Yuri snickers at her outburst.

“You’ve got a feisty little minx on your hands, Enzo.” He chuckles. “Poor Toby, he was so upset losing his finger. Little fucker begged me to let him live.”

“You killed Toby?” Valentina squeaks.

“No, I didn’t say I killed him, but I do need you to come out from behind Enzo, Valentina dear. We have some unfinished business.”

“Leave her out of this, it’s me you want. I orchestrated everything to do with what went down with Katiya, it’s me you want, not her.” I didn’t actually do anything of the sort, but I need his attention off Valentina and onto me.

His crazy eyes shoot to me as a slow, blood-curdling smile crosses his face.

“Turn around and put your hands on the wall,” he says, cocking his gun and aiming it at my head.

“You don’t want to do this,” I warn. I feel Valentina’s hand slide the gun slowly out from my waistband. Fuck. This is so fucking dangerous. It should be me with the gun in my hand, not hers.

But I do know that Valentina has been shooting her whole life at the range.

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