Page 97 of Betrayal and Vows

Anton

I’m dying inside.

I don’t even bother hiding it anymore.

It simmers just under the surface. It feels like there’s a live wire twisting through my chest.

Every nerve feels like it’s on fire.

Lena begged me.

Tears in her eyes, fingers twisted in my shirt like she could anchor herself to me and never let go. “Don’t let them do this,” she whispered. “Anton, please—please, just get me out.”

I kissed her and walked away.

I had to. I didn’t have a plan. Not yet.

For now, she had to go through the motions. She had to play along with this fucked up wedding.

I wasn’t going to give up. But I needed time. Dmitri and I needed privacy to plan. She didn’t understand and I couldn’t explain.

Her friend Kira showed up an hour ago. After I searched the bags she brought with her, I let her into Lena’s room.

I heard the sobbing.

The wedding planning was not a happy occasion. Mikhail was giddy.

And I wanted to fucking kill him.

There is no security risk. Mikhail just enjoys flaunting his bullshit power.

And if he’s the one sending the pictures or his people are, it might just be a way to let me know my death is imminent.

Taunting us.

The wedding is tomorrow.

The estate is a carnival of drunken fools and smug bastards. Fireworks are going off outside. Somewhere downstairs, Mikhail is probably toasting my death and Lena’s ruination.

And all I want to do is carry her out of here and run.

But we’d never make it. Not with Vadim’s men in every hallway and the security tripled for the big day. Not when every exit leads to death.

I tell myself I’ll get her out of here, but the timing isn’t right. I don’t want to steal her away only to have her die in my arms.

Dmitri is doing what he can to make contact with people he knows outside the Bratva, but it’s been hard. Security is tight. Everyone is suspicious.

Every morning we get a list of credible threats.

It’s more than a little disturbing to learn men are actively trying to kill the woman you love.

I find Dmitri near the south entrance, checking the guest list for the third time today.

Two of Yuri's men flank us.

They are close enough to hear every word, far enough to pretend they're not listening.

"Any word from your grandmother?" I ask casually, scanning the names on his clipboard like I give a shit about the guest list.