Page 5 of Crimson Wrath

The baby!

Get it together, Scarlett.

You have a baby to think of now.

A baby who is never going to have a father.

“Iwillkill you.” His hand is on my throat again.

“Then kill me!” I gasp, praying he’ll be convinced I wouldn’t say it if I knew anything. “I have no idea where the kid is.” Which is true. The last time I saw Niko, Anton was dragging him away from the thugs while I drew them away. Even if I wanted to tell this jerk what he wants to know, I couldn’t.

You’d better think fast, girl.

An idea dawns on me. I don’t like it, but there are more important things to worry about right now. Like staying alive. Or the baby in my belly, just to name two.

“Wait,” I choke out. “I still have the diamond. I’ll give it to you if you let me go.”

He pauses, confusion flickering across his face. “What diamond?”

“Cartwright’s diamond!” I say, bewildered. “The Rose Star. Isn’t that what you want?”

“Cartwright?” His brow furrows, clearly not knowing who I’m talking about. “I don’t care about your diamond! I want the Ulianov brat!”

This makes no damn sense!

Is he messing with me?

“But it’s worth millions! Is he so determined to make an example of me that he’d throw that all away?”

“I’ve had enough of your shit.” He raises his hand again.

“Stop!” I scream, channeling my fear into a desperate plea. “Listen to me. There must be some kind of misunderstanding here. We can work something out if you just let me go.”

“Enough!” He backhands me, sending a fresh wave of pain through my already bruised face. “I have no use for your lies and bullshit.”

“Fine!” I croak, tears burning my eyes. “I’ll give you the diamond, and I’ll get out of town.” I’d been meaning to do that anyway. Mexico beckons like a shining beacon, with or without the precious stone in my pocket. “Cartwright’s secret will go to the grave with me.”

“You’ll go to the grave now,suka!If you don’t—”

“No! I really mean it.” I’m floundering for leverage. “I made a recording. All about what Cartwright did to Maya. If anything happens to me, it’s going straight to the press,” I improvise. Obviously, there’s no recording. I got out of town the minute I knew they were onto me. This asshole doesn’t need to know that. And he looks stupid enough to believe me.

I hope.

But now he’s staring at me as if I’ve taken leave of my senses. I forge on regardless. “If you let me out of here, that information will disappear. I swear it. Plus, I’ll give the diamond back. You know he wants it.”

“Enough with the motherfucking diamond!” he snaps, his voice rising in anger. “Where is the boy?”

My mind races as I try to make sense of this. What’s going on? Why would Cartwright’s men be interested in Anton and his family?

You did this, you fool.

You dragged Anton and Niko into this mess.

And now Anton is probably dead. And Nikolai is in trouble.

But something isn’t adding up.

Something that stinks strongly of Anton’s own dark past. Is this my own shit I’m dealing with here, or could it be something else?

---