Page 5 of Vengeful Promise


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She released his hand. “Can you lead the way? Right now, I’m still feeling a little shaken from everything that happened.”

“Of course,” he said smoothly.

Gibson started down the steps and Veronica quickly typed Nikolai a message while the head butler wasn’t watching her.

Veronica:Gibson’s the traitor. I’m with him right now. I’ll find a way to shake him off.

Nikolai didn’t reply but she saw her message had been read. Was trusting Nikolai truly the right move? Veronica realized she couldn’t afford to be picky right now.

Gibson and she finally arrived on the first level. Veronica immediately noticed it was far too quiet in the house.

“Where’s the rest of the staff?” she asked.

“The moment I heard the gunshots, I sent them home,” Gibson said.

“Smart,” she said.

Veronica’s throat had become unbearably dry. Did the entire staff know what was about to happen tonight? No, she refused to believe that. She stared at Gibson’s back and wondered how long they would continue playing this game.

Sweat beaded her back and she wondered if Nikolai would arrive in time or would she also end up like her father and Lorenzo?

Chapter Three

Nikolai reread Veronica’s text. Rage kindled in his belly. His driver stopped the car. They’d finally arrived at their destination—the backstreet behind Arturo’s house.

Knowing the traitor who betrayed his long-time friend was with his future wife didn’t sit well with him. Nikolai reviewed what little he knew of the butler in his head. Gibson had been working for Arturo for a long time. Two decades almost. What would persuade Gibson to betray his boss now? Nikolai felt outraged by the man’s betrayal but he wasn’t too surprised. When offered enough money, most men would even sell their own souls. He opened the car door.

“Sir,that’s not a good idea,” his driver interrupted but Nikolai ignored him.

After checking his favorite guns were in their holsters, Nikolai exited the car. He would finish this sordid task on his own. Nikolai often relied on his trusted men to conduct his dirty business these days, but now and then it was fine getting his hands dirty.

He walked to the black iron garden gate. Nikolai spotted the chain and lock and sighed. Of course it would be locked. Fate wasn’t making his task easy. Nikolai pulled out his large gun and stepped back.

“Nikolai!” a familiar voice called out before Nikolai could take the shot.

For a moment, Nikolai didn’t recognize the beautiful young woman waving at him. Veronica looked relieved when she spotted him. He tore his gaze from her and finally spotted Gibson by her shoulder. The old butler looked panicked at the sight of Nikolai. With no time to spare, Nikolai fired at the chain a few times. Finally the links fell apart. Nikolai kicked the door open just in time to see Gibson fumbling inside his jacket.

“Veronica, duck!” he yelled.

Veronica might have strayed from the path her father intended her to walk, but she still remembered how to be cautious and follow instructions during tense moments. The moment she dropped to the ground, Nikolai aimed his gun at Gibson. They both fired at the same time. Gibson’s aim was as good as Nikolai’s. His bullet went wild, finally burying itself in the trunk of a nearby tree.

Nikolai didn’t miss. He never did. A small red hole appeared right between Gibson’s eyes. The old butler opened his mouth, but no words came out. Shock reflected in Gibson’s eyes momentarily, before he fell face-first to the ground. Veronica looked behind her shoulder and a tiny scream came out of her mouth.

Nikolai eliminated the distance between them. Hunkering down, he swept Veronica in his arms. He still hadn’t let go of his gun. Veronica buried her head into his shoulder. Feeling wetness on his shirt, Nikolai gritted his teeth. He didn’t like seeing Veronica like this, so vulnerable and raw.

One look at Gibson’s corpse reassured him the traitor was dead. Nikolai kept expecting reinforcements to arrive. If Reid Hyde himself made an appearance, Nikolai wasn’t completely confident he could take the professional hitman on his own.

Fortune seemed to be smiling down at Nikolai today, because no one arrived. Yuri and his men probably managed to chase Hyde off. There would be hell to pay for this, of course. Nikolai would eventually get to the root of the matter.

Hunting down Hyde would not solve anything. He was merely an instrument used by his employers. Those who ordered Arturo’s death were the real culprits. Surely, they weren’t arrogant enough to think they could get away with this travesty. Perhaps they saw the Romano Familia as weak prey and didn’t consider the fact Arturo had a powerful ally on his side.

“We can’t linger here,” he told Veronica in his most gentle voice.

“You’re right, of course.” Veronica wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes.

Nikolai offered her his hand but she managed to stand up on her own. The strength she’d shown so far had been remarkable. Veronica had just witnessed her father being assassinated, and her own life had almost been taken. What a remarkable woman. She was truly fit to become his wife.

He led her out of the garden and into the backstreet. This time, she gripped his arm for support. He approved. Veronica seemed to know to accept help when she needed it. Nikolai held the car door open for her. She slipped in. Veronica seemed composed earlier in the garden but the moment he joined her in his car, she started to shake. The shock must finally be getting to her. Nikolai took off his jacket and placed it around her shivering shoulders.

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