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“Sir, maybe you should wait here.”
The resonating echo of two gunshots is too inexplicable to deny. The first I heard I assumed was a mishearing, but this was too unmistakable to ignore.
“Like fuck am I.”
I push past them, not about to waste any time. Getting to the main living area, I stop short of Andreas lying with a gunshot wound to the head. The mark is dead centre, and I only know two people who can shoot that accurately.
“Where are Natalia and Sebastian?”
Yet to lift my head, I keep my eyes trained on Andreas, unable to ignore the gnawing feeling in my stomach.
“We don’t know.”
“I want them found,” I bark, uncaring for anything in this moment.
“Sir,” Vinnie says, stepping forward. “She mentioned something about something of her mother’s before packing.”
She’s made no comments about wanting anything in this building since being back, but I guess the idea of leaving and letting my father have free rein to take what he pleases means she wants to take something of her mother’s—possibly her father’s too. She’s had seven years without anything of her past; I’m not about to deny her another thing.
“I want this place locked down and I want every entrance guarded. You don’t unlock them unless it’s to get me, Natalia, or Sebastian out of here.”
“Sir, with all due respect, I’d like to stay with you.”
“Natalia trusted you to come back. You will lead my men until I can bring her out.” I never offer such levels of faith in men I barely know, but there is something about Vinnie that I trust. “I’ll be back.”
He agrees—reluctantly—and leaves, only to start hurling orders around like he owns the place. Now I know that’s settled, I go in the direction of where I suspect the sound came from. Everything’s eerily still in the palace now. Aside from movement to secure the place, there are no other forms of panic.
Another body lines my peripheral, and it takes a second for my brain to engage what I’m seeing.
“Seb?”
I know he’s dead on arrival.
I hold on to the doorframe at the same time as I notice a second body. Turning my head, I see Natalia lying on her back, her hair splayed on the floor beside her, a pool of crimson growing around her.
“Natalia!”
I’m by her side in an instant. One hand goes to her throat to check for a pulse, the other instinctively goes to her stomach, causing her to moan against the pressure. As much as I hate hurting her, the relief that washes through me is enormous.
“That’s my girl. C’mon, darling. Open those eyes for me. Look at me. C’mon, Natalia.”
My coercion starts to get better arousal from her, her eyes fluttering in response. Another moan escapes her, but her eyes open enough to find mine.
“Help! Someone help me!” I scream, noticing my shouting rouses her more. “Hey, it’s me. It’s Beckett. I’ve got you.”
She gives me a smile, and while I find relief, I can’t mistake the dread that filters through my system seeing the blood lining her teeth. She seems to relax at the sight of me, taking comfort in me being here.
“Talia? Who did this to you?”
She gulps deeply, struggling to find her words, but when she does, the ones that come out are not ones I’m ready for.
“Y-your dad. H-he’s here.”
Everything starts to fall away—my plans, my resolve, my ability to keep calm. None of it exists, only Natalia.
“I’m going to get you out of here, okay? You hear me?”
She shakes her head. “‘M dying.”
