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Kaden’s grip on my arm tightens.
“If you don’t tell your cousins to get their fucking hands off my little brother, you’re about to watch your sister bleed out on the street,” Kaden declares in a voice so cold that I swear I can see ice spreading across his knife.
My pulse thrums in my ears but I remain perfectly still, because I can tell by the tone of his voice that he means every word. Unless my cousins release Jace, he will slit my throat.
Rage crackles across Mikhail’s face, but there is an undercurrent of panic in his voice as he replies, “If you don’t get your fucking knife away from my little sister, I’ll—”
“I said, lower his fucking arm!” Kaden cuts him off.
I suppress a startled breath as he suddenly yanks his knife high up, pressing the flat of the blade hard underneath my chin and forcing me to tilt my head back until my throat is completely exposed.
“Now!” Kaden finishes, the command slicing through the air and vibrating against my skin.
My cousins shoot a worried glance at Mikhail, who jerks his chin down in confirmation. They all seem to realize just how serious Kaden is.
Maksim lowers Jace’s arm, but they don’t release him. However, before Kaden can follow through on his threat anyway, Rico speaks up.
“We trade back, and then call it a day,” he says.
“Agreed,” Anton immediately replies.
Relief flows through me.
Mikhail snaps his gaze to Anton, displeasure flickering in his blue eyes, because we all know that it’s Mikhail who calls the shots. But Anton just stares back at him. Our eldest brother doesn’t like to lose. Even a tie is considered a loss in his book. And especially against the Hunter family.
However, Mikhail knows that Anton is right. Unless they’re willing to spill blood, namely mine, this confrontation has to end like this.
Mikhail forces out a long breath. “Fine.”
They all turn to Kaden.
Because my head is tilted so far back, I can see the cruel smile that lurks on his lips.
“I’ll release her,” Kaden promises. “In exchange for my brother. And a name.”
Mikhail’s gaze sharpens. “What?”
With his blade still firmly underneath my chin, Kaden looks down at me. “What’s your name, little doe?”
My heart does a strange flip at the way he rolls the question over his tongue.
“You fucking—” Mikhail begins.
I cut him off before he can say something that will restart this whole battle again.
“Alina,” I reply. With the back of my head pressed against his muscled chest, I hold Kaden’s dark eyes with a steady gaze. And I make damn sure that there is no fear in my voice or in my eyes as I repeat, “My name is Alina.”
His cold eyes light up, and he smiles even wider.
Alarm shoots up my spine, and I suddenly feel as if I have made a huge mistake. I shouldn’t have masked my fear. I should’ve let my voice tremble. I should’ve let him know just how fast my pulse flutters when he holds a knife to my throat.
However, before I can do anything to remedy it, Kaden abruptly removes his blade and shoves me towards Mikhail. I stumble, almost slamming into my brother’s chest before his hands appear on my arms instead. My left one still aches slightly from Kaden’s iron grip, but I make sure not to show it.
A few steps from us, my cousins have released Jace and backed away.
For a few seconds, the only sound is the rapid hammering of my heart.
Then Mikhail jerks his chin. “Get in the car.”
