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“Holding you at g-gunpoint.”
“I can see that,” she chuckles with a nod. “What I don’t know is why.”
“You really think I’m going to leave it up to your brother to get my father and sister back?” I scoff. “I don’t think so.”
It’s insulting how relaxed she looks right now. Her hands aren’t even up in the air like I expected them to be. It’s making me wonder if she sees something I don’t know about.
“Ilarion is—”
“Ilarion is using my sister!” I yell, earning myself some attention from the men outside in the courtyard. A few of them pull out their guns, but I ignore that and focus instead on Mila. “I heard everything! I know that whatever Ilarion’s reasons for marrying Celine are, and it sure as hell is not because he cares about her.”
Mila nods again with understanding spreading across her face. “You didn’t stay in the garden.”
“I appreciated our little heart-to-heart, I really did, but screw you if you think you can manipulate me with that shit. Contrary to what you believe, I’m not some pathetic little wallflower who needs to be saved.”
Her eyes widen when she realizes just how much of their conversation I overheard. Then she drops her gaze to the gun in my hands.”
“You’re going to hurt yourself, Taylor,” she says quietly. “Put the gun down.”
“Let me say it again: screw you.”
Her men have slowly surrounded us. Ten of them, armed to the teeth, fanned out in a ragged semi-circle. They’re looking back and forth between Mila and me, ready to make their move as soon as she gives the word.
It doesn’t matter. I’m not about to lower my gun.
“I’m coming with you.”
Mila raises her brow. “No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am. I have no faith that any of you are going to do everything you can to bring back Celine or Dad. So I’m coming with you to make sure you do.”
Mila glances over to her men. “You realize that you’re severely outnumbered, right? Hell, even if you weren’t, I could disarm you in seconds.”
I don’t hesitate. I cock the gun, point at a spot close to Mila’s feet, and fire. The gunshot is louder than I expect, and the recoil stings my hand. I barely manage to hold onto the weapon.
Still, it has the desired effect. The men step back, and Mila moves back as well, shock and disbelief clouding her face. “Y-you…just shot at me.”
“That was a warning shot,” I inform her. The tremble in my arm is gone; both of us realize I can and absolutely will follow through on my threat. And as inexperienced as I am, it’s hard to miss from point-blank range. “I told you—I’m not messing around. Your men may be able to disarm me, but I’ll do some damage before that happens.”
She stares at me as though she’s seeing me clearly for the first time. Then she raises one arm. “Stand down.” When no one listens, she scowls. “Do it.”
The men lower their guns but no one takes their eyes off me. Mila looks at me and smirks. “My brother will kill me for letting you tag along.”
“You’re not ‘letting me’ do anything. I’m forcing you to.”
“Somehow, I don’t think he will agree.” She laughs. “I will say this, though—you only missed by a few inches, so you’re already a better shot than Dima.” She toes the hole in the floor, then looks up at me with a bemused twinkle in her eyes. “You sure this is what you want?”
I nod and swallow, though my mouth is dry as sandpaper. “Positive.”
“Okay then.” Mila turns to face her men. “We’ve got one more person on board, gentlemen, and she’s precious cargo. You don’t need to know why. All you need to know is that no one gets near her. Is that understood? If someone touches so much as a hair on her head, you kill the motherfucker. If someone blinks too aggressively at her, you kill the motherfucker. Or else, it’s all our lives at stake. Thepakhanwill make sure of it.”
Satisfied that her message has been received, she turns back to me.
“Well?” she asks. “Are you coming or not?”
42
ILARION
