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I hear in the strong inhalation of air and feel his body tense as if preparing himself. But being more focused on Nova I am not fast enough.
I don’t feel the shard of glass slice over my throat until the blast of a bullet sinking into my brother’s chest drops him to the floor at Polaris’ feet. His arrogance drove him to think he could take us both out before being stopped.
The smoking barrel turns toward me and a wild-eyed Nova looks ready to take me out, too.
“Don’t move or you’re next. I swear to God I will end you.” Her eyes drop to my lifeless brother then swing to me. Her chest heaves but she doesn’t drop the muzzle of the gun. Not my woman.
“Nova.”
Warm blood trickles down my throat. Someone upstairs is smiling down on me right now or likes seeing me in torment. A couple of centimeters over and my brother’s attempt at killing me would have worked.
“Nova,” I say again in a softer tone. She’s spooked. Any wrong move right now and I’ll be joining my brother at the hand of the woman I love.
Revelations are a bitch of a thing. They normally don’t come unless you’re about to meet your end and by that time it’s too late.
“You lied to me.” Her voice trembles worse than her hands. I’m almost proud of her for how steady she’s holding that gun on me.
“You are just as bad as they are. I guess you were trying to tell me. When you said you wanted out from under your father’s rule. I didn’t put two and two together.”
“Your father—”
“Is,” I swallow and correct myself. “Was the head of the Antonov family. Bratva. Cruel. Savage. Bloodthirsty and more powerful than most. Yet thirsty for more.”
She cocks her head; those pretty eyes of hers swim with unshed tears. “And here you are. Doing his dirty work for him? Is that why you waited? So they could take the merchandise before you struck? How do I know you are not trying to take them out so you can move in?”
“I’ve worked for the last ten years to be strong enough to fight him. I just needed proof my family was behind the trafficking.”
“Lies.”
The tightness in her voice and the betrayal in her eyes has me wanting to drag her into my arms and beg for forgiveness. My protective instinct to see her back to the light and shield her from the darkness of my life. My past.
Rage and Riot hang back. The Genesis men are another issue. A level of surprise is on all their faces and I know I’ll have to deal with the fallout at some point.
I see Harlon looking at Polaris who is breathing heavily. Frightened eyes dart to the door and back to her sister. Cillian eases up behind her but he’s not fast enough.
Polaris comes between us and faces her sister. “Nova, Nova listen. Don’t do this. You’re better than them. Let’s just leave.”
“I can’t. I just killed a man.”
“Because he was going to kill me.”
The pain in Polaris’ voice is palpable. An energy all its own.
“Thank you. Thank you for saving me.” Polaris wraps her arms around her sister and Nova finally drops the gun to her side.
“But I didn’t.” Those tears in her eyes shred my insides. The need to take her in my arms consumes me.
“You did, Nova.” Harlon comes to stand beside Polaris. He draws her shivering body into his and wraps his suit jacket around her delicate shoulders.
“I heard the Volkovs talking. They all wanted Ares dead. He was the only thing standing in their way from getting what they wanted. They were going to kill him and his brother and take the business away from the Antonovs.”
I see Nova’s resolve toward ending me falter.
I look to Harlon. There’s no way I will let another take a bullet for me. Losing Devil hasn’t hit me full force yet. I know it will. Until then I can at least protect my love’s sister from my sins the way I could not save him.
I nod my chin to Harlon, Santi, and Cassian. They read my silent signal and pull Polaris to safety. Not that I think Nova would dare hurt her sister, but I won’t risk accidents happening.
“They’ve taken them to Canada and from there they are sending them overseas. The two they had watching over us liked to talk.” Her eyes drift to the beast of a man not too far from my brother. The terror in her gaze is as strong as the hatred in the pit of my stomach for my family’s greed.
