“Max?”I called out again, only now my voice was soft, tremulous.“You okay?”My heart thudded painfully.
Something had to be wrong.
I needed to go.
I knew I did, but I couldn’t move.
Until I heard Max’s voice echoing inside the apartment.“Run!”he barked, strained, like he was hurt or fighting.
A strained cry burst from me as I turned to run like he said, throwing myself toward the stairwell and stopping short when the door swung open, and a familiar man rushed out.A man with a dark, slicked-back ponytail, dressed in black from head to toe.
I opened my mouth, sucked in a breath, prepared to scream.He was too quick, though, throwing me against the wall to my back, knocking the air from my lungs and leaving me stunned.With a hand clamped over my mouth, he dragged me into the apartment, coming to a stop in the living room and kicking the door closed behind us.
The living room where Max was now on his knees, bleeding from his head, while Nico stood beside him.The gun in his hand was pointed at Max’s temple, pressed against it.My shriek was lost behind my captor’s hand, my kicks barely landing on his legs.
“What did I tell you?”Nico showed no sign of the struggle that must have taken place—his breathing was slow, and his voice was measured.“I warned you, didn’t I?What happens to smart girls who think they know more than they do?This isyourfault.”
Maybe there wasn’t a struggle after all.Max blinked up at me like he was fighting to focus, swaying almost drunkenly on his knees, blood pouring down the side of his face from the wound Nico had given him.Blindsided, probably.Still, he tried valiantly to climb to his feet.
I clawed at the hand over my mouth, barely able to breathe over the top of it.Nico jerked his chin slightly and the hand lowered enough to leave my nose free.That did nothing to calm my panic.What was he going to do?
“Now you watch,” Nico murmured, his voice soft, almost tender.Sickening.“Watch becauseyoudid this.This was allyou.”
Then he pulled the trigger.
My screams were lost behind the hand over my mouth, screams of horror and sorrow.
My fault.
It wasmy fault.
Blood splattered the sofa I had taken so long to choose, soaked into the throw rug I had coordinated so perfectly.
Max dropped to the side, falling lifelessly to the floor.
And I screamed.I screamed soundlessly, pointlessly.I screamed for him, me, and everyone I had gotten roped into this mess.
But my screaming stopped when Nico approached, the gun held at his side, wearing a smile that chilled me to the bone.He had blown a man’s brains out and could smile.
“Now.We’re going to take a little drive, and we’re going to get things settled once and for all,” he almost crooned tenderly, raising his hand to stroke the side of my head.
Before raising the other and bringing the butt of his gun down against my skull.
17
VAUGHN
“So wait.”Aiden looked to Sebastian, though that wasn’t much help.He was just as confused after my confession, looking at me with blank surprise.“She’s been staying with you all this time?”
“It hasn’t been that long,” I explained, savoring my scotch.Aside from the promise of spending time with Nova, this was what I’d looked forward to all day—the possibility of relaxing after the hassle of endless time-wasting bullshit.“I couldn’t tell you, no offense.Not that I don’t trust you.I had to pull a plan together at the last second.”There were no details involved.They knew only that Nova was in trouble and needed a place to lay low for a while.
Sebastian didn’t bother hiding a grin.“You would be the one who jumps at the opportunity to help the damsel in distress.”
“I’ve always had a weakness,” I admitted, recalling a certain pivotal night when I’d rearranged a rapist’s face and loved every moment.I never could stand watching a defenseless person being taken advantage of.
“It sounds like quite a sweet little domestic arrangement you’ve got going on,” he observed.“What does this mean for the annulment?”
“Don’t tell me you’re going to stay married,” Aiden begged, crestfallen.
