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Indigo fell to the floor, a curled sadistic smile still on her face, blonde hair fanning out around her head like a mermaid might in water. Rhia couldn’t believe the horror. It never stopped. What kind of messed-up world had she stepped into?
Tangy copper hit her nostrils and stole her breath. Blood slowly oozed from the wound and gathered around her lifeless body. Dimitris—evil fucker extraordinaire—reached for his handkerchief and cleaned his hand of spilled champagne.
She took a step back as the pool of blood creeping closer brushed against her shoes. She swallowed hard. Some would call what he did a kind of poetic justice but this was not what she wanted.
Did she? She pulled up the mental image of her dead father, how Sevastyan’s brother was spread out on the table. Their deaths drove a spike of steel into her spine and she stood rigid.
She couldn’t breathe, but she held it together. As long as Rhia lived, she would never erase the horror from her memory.
She sensed Sevastyan before he walked up on her left and taking her elbow, quietly offering her some much-needed strength.
Black, soulless eyes rested on her as she took in the scene at her feet, causing the hairs on her neck to stand up.
A growl erupted from Sevastyan. “Careful, Dimitris, on where you point that wrath,” he commanded in a flat tone, lips peeled back, teeth bared.
Tension wound through the room as a hushed quiet fell over the guests. Having so many people staring their way didn’t make for a comforting feeling.
Fear wrapped around her heart the longer they stared at each other. Sevastyan was as unflinching as Dimitris until he raised his hands in front of him. “Da. You have nothing to worry about. Consider this a gift to our partnership.” He waved his hand across Indigo’s limp body like he was selling them a brand-new Jaguar.
“It’s a step in the right direction.”
Sevastyan’s affable mien never faded like he was made of stone and sounded way more okay with what just happened than she ever could.
What the fuck! She wanted to scream. Every fiber in her body shook.
If alarms had gone off when she’d stepped from the limo and walked through her real enemy’s doors, they freaking wailed for her to run now.
“Excuse my sudden shock. I wasn’t expecting such a show of power. Thank you. I was hoping to be the one to get to do that, but it’s done now.” She looked uncaring at the dead woman. “I’ll take your gift. No room for insubordination.”
“Da,” he nodded. “Like others among us.”
Rage tore through her. He didn’t come out and say it, but she knew he was talking about her father and Sevastyan’s brother. She’d kept her mouth shut for a reason. No reason for tipping her hand just yet. That came later.
“An ugly topic we can leave for another time perhaps,” she offered. “Tonight is about us.” She gestured between the three of them, feigning the whole damn bravado she pushed into her voice.
Dimitris considered his words and looked on the cusp of saying something, but thought wiser of it as a waiter passed.
“That was close. Thought we’d be going all John Wayne on his ass a little bit earlier.”
Lucian’s voice in her ear and slight humor mirrored her thoughts and dented the tension wanting to choke her.
“Da,” Dimitris grinned, rocking back on his heels, his features pulled back in a dangerously handsome smile. She was sure it had lured many women to their untimely deaths.
Her grip had to be tearing into Sevastyan’s arm by now, but he took the pain, unflinching.
Dimitris passed fresh drinks around and this time she went for the shot glass filled with vodka. At least it couldn’t double as a murder weapon. Not easily at least.
Dimitris studied her for a long moment, his dark eyes penetrating her. One flinch and it was over, so she held his gaze as she shot back the contents of the tumbler in one smooth go along with the men.
“Business another time, yes? Let us see the merchandise.”
Another waiter, another shot. This one she sipped.
“You asked me if I shared my brother’s vision.”
“Da and you told me you didn’t follow blindly. I ask that you give a little faith and follow me now. See what I have to offer and decide for yourself how you would like to work together. First, another.” He raised his glass signaling for them to drink.
Bottoms up.
