AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Let me go!” I think the muffled words say. And even laced with terror, that commanding tone is unmistakable. It’s the same one Silvia used when I punched the purple-haired friend of hers.
I’m moving across the entry before I’ve even made up my mind, my feet carrying me toward the sound with an urgency I’ve never felt before. Dark laughter directs me the right way, and I fling open the cardroom door, letting it crash against the wall.
My stomach drops at the sight before me. Three Bratva men–none of mine–have stripped Silvia naked. They freeze mid-motion, seeming to be in the process of laying her out on the poker table.
Silvia looks utterly terrified. Black mascara tracks down her cheeks. Her hair is completely tangled and mussed. And her muscles quiver as she continues to jerk fruitlessly in their arms.
Blind, violent rage rips through me at the sight of their hands on her perfect body.
I don’t think. I just act.
Drawing my gun from my waistband, I aim it at the largest of the three–a potbellied, barrel-chested man with red hair. It hits him right between the eyes, and a look of stunned confusion washes over his face before he topples backward.
The blast sets my ears to ringing in the small space. But I don’t care. Striding across the room with purpose, I aim at the black-bearded man. He looks dazed, like his brain hasn’t caught up to what his eyes are seeing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s too drunk to think straight.
But that won’t make me hesitate.
I pull the trigger a second time, clipping him in the shoulder so he has to take a step away from Silvia. Then I finish him off with a bullet to the brain.
Silvia screams and ducks, crumpling to the floor as her attackers release her.
The third guy, tall and lean, spins to face me, eyes wide with fear. My eyes flick down to his unbuckled pants, and I go completely unhinged. This man doesn’t deserve a bullet.
He’s going to die choking on his own blood.
Lowering my gun, I pull out my pocket knife. In one fluid motion, I whip it open and lunge. With a sweeping slash, I open his throat.
Everything slows as his hands reach for his neck. He tries fruitlessly to cover the gash that looks like an angry red smile for a split second before the blood starts pouring out. Then he topples backward, the strangled sounds of drowning filling the room.
A deep sense of satisfaction fills my chest at having put down three mad dogs. And a smile spreads slowly across my face as I watch the third man gurgle his last breath.
Quick movement draws my attention as Silvia scrambles from beneath the card table, making a mad dash for the door. My chest tightens at the terrified expression on her face. I’m sure the violence has done nothing to help her fear. And in her panic, she’s going to try running without a stitch of clothing on.
Efrem and Val remain motionless at the door as I intercept Silvia, pulling her tight against my chest. She screams again, the frightened sound cutting me like a knife, and for a moment, she struggles. Pushing violently against me, she squirms in my arms, trying to break free.
Then, with a heart-wrenching sob, she submits.
I hold her close, my body thrumming with anxiety as she buries her face in my chest and bawls. The pitiful thing trembles uncontrollably, shaking so hard she nearly rattles my teeth. Terrible shame clouds my mind because I know this is all my fault.
Holding her with one arm, I shrug out of my suit coat and carefully wrap it around her frail frame. Closing it snuggly around her, I try to give her back her modesty. From the corner of my eye, I can see the shredded remains of her beautiful cocktail dress, and bile rises in my throat.
I want to raise the bastards who did this to her from the dead just so I can kill them all over again.
A fresh wave of sobs rip from Silvia, wringing my heart.
“Shhh,” I soothe, tucking her head beneath my chin as I cradle it to my chest. “You’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you,” I murmur, though I feel like a liar even as words burn like acid through my lips.
BecauseI’mthe one hurting her.I’mthe reason she found herself here in the first place. And suddenly, it feels like my very touch is a violation of her. I don’t deserve the relief of trying to comfort her. I’m sure she hates me. Hell, she tried to run from me and fought me as soon as I touched her. I’m no better than the men I killed.
Swallowing painfully, I slowly release her, careful not to let her fall as I hold her at arm’s length. “Let me take you back to your room,” I murmur, and my gut twists when she cringes. I drop my hands from her arms, knowing even that must be too close for her comfort. But I need to see her somewhere safe. “Please, Silvia. I won’t touch you. Just… let me walk you back.”
Her eyes remain pinned to the floor, her fingers clutching my suit jacket closed, as silence stretches between us. Only her shuddering sniffles disrupt the stifling quiet. Then, finally, she gives a weak nod.
Turning to Efrem and Val, I jerk my head in the direction of the three bodies. “Dispose of this mess, will you?”
They nod gravely and get to work, stepping around us to collect the bodies.
I don’t dare reach out to Silvia, even to offer a supportive hand, though I want to with every fiber of my being. She looks so pale and shaken that a light breeze might knock her over.
