AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I hold his head in my hands and kiss one cheek. “That is where you are wrong. Goodbye, Vladimir. Today, our brotherhood ends.” I kiss the other, marking him. Whether that mark is for death, for shunning, or something in between is up to the family. As soon as I take Raina far, far away from this all, I will inform my father of Vlad’s betrayal.
But first, I must rescue my princess.
Pushing Vlad away, I leave him and approach Raina, kneeling before her and force a steady calm when I view the blood and bruises on her pretty face. A new sense of fury and rage floods my soul as I turn to end my brother.
“Alek,” Raina whispers. “Please, get me out of here.”
“My Raina,” I say softly, not having the power for anything else. This breaks me. Seeing her like this, knowing I did nothing to stop my brother from harming the woman I love…breaksme. I quickly remove her restraints and gently pull her into my arms. She sobs and throws her arms around me, trembling. I hold her close, burying my face in her hair.
Which is why I don’t see it coming.
“Alek!” Raina cries out.
I turn, my gun extended, squared in on the man’s chest. How he snuck up behind me is not my concern, not right now. It’s the gun he has in his hand, squared back on me.
“Do it!” Vlad shouts maniacally. “Sergio, do it! Shoot to kill.”
I eye Sergio and go totally still, studying him. He’s been with the family for a very short time and, if he makes the wrong choice, his work with us will come to an abrupt and violent end.
Instead, Sergio turns the gun on Vlad. “I take orders from Mr. Ivanov.” He cocks the gun. Vlad’s mouth falls open.
“Stand down,” I bark. Sergio smartly complies. “Stay here until I return.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Ivanov.”
“What are you doing?” Vlad is quickly unravelling. “Where are you going? No one leaves me, no one!” He starts to laugh hysterically, too out of his head to know he’s been defeated. But he’s no longer my problem, anymore.
I will never again call him brother and turn my back to him, lifting my future bride into my arms. “Come, Raina. It’s time I take you home.”
