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I kept completely still and at ease. I was ready for this. I pushed Galina out of my mind, the very thought of her having no place for what was about to happen. Without taking his gaze off me, Leonid started to unbutton his jacket before removing it and hanging it over the back of his chair. He moved around the table and took several steps toward me, stopping when he was an arm's length away.
For long moments we didn’t speak, just held each other’s gazes, the aggression and testosterone, the suffocating thickness filling the air. And then he struck like a cobra, his hand reaching for my neck. I had no doubt he planned to crush my windpipe, tear my trachea right from my throat.
I ducked and dodged right before he could wrap his thick fingers around my neck. I thrust my arm his way, trying to lodge the blade into one of his kidneys, but he moved out of the way quickly, the knife grazing his shirt. I heard him hiss and knew I’d at least nicked the motherfucker.
We both stumbled back before I charged forward, my body crashing into his. I used momentum to push him backward and against the table. Plates and cups fell to the ground, glasses breaking, my boots crunching on the debris. We grappled for supremacy, with me trying to stab him, but the fucker was stronger than he looked, his arms corded with muscle, so he was able to block any hits.
“I’m going to have fun fucking the innocence out of Galina.”
I felt this beast awaken further inside me when I heard Leonid say her full name. I shouldn't have been enraged that he’d dug up information on her, should have known the bastard would have wanted to cover all angles where she was concerned. His obsession wouldn’t have let it be any other way.
I rammed my elbow into the side of his face hard enough his head cocked back and blood sprayed out. I used that moment to stab him in the side, his grunt of pain driving my bloodlust higher. Just as I was about to jerk the knife upward all the way to the motherfucker’s heart, he slammed his fist into my gut with so much force the air left me and gave him the opportunity to push me back a step.
“You could have been my best soldier, could have been my right hand,” he roared as he charged forward, but I tensed, waiting to absorb the hit, my fingers twitching on the handle that was covered with his blood. “What a fucking waste.” His face twisted in rage, and I slowly grinned, letting him see the pleasure and darkness that consumed me.
This was why he wanted me as his weapon for the Bratva… because he knew I’d kill anything that stood in my way, and now, that washim.
Right before he rammed his shoulder into me, I turned and lifted my knee, connecting with his side and spinning around to wrap my arm around his throat. I shoved him forward so hard that when he crashed into the wall, a picture shook and then fell to the ground.
“You’ll never hurt another woman again,” I seethed, my mouth right by his ear. He jerked his head back, his skull connecting with my cheek. Fire raced along the side of my face, but I paid it no mind. The pain felt fucking good.
He bucked backward and was able to spin around, but I delivered a knee kick, causing him to howl in pain before he fell to the ground. I was on him in the next second, one hand wrapped around his throat, the other still holding my knife. I grinned wider as I delivered an elbow to his head. I watched the haze cover his eyes from the pain and disorientation, and I took that moment to lean in so our faces were close enough I could have given him a kiss of death before I ended this.
“Galina ismine,and I’ll bring down anyone and anything who tries to take her from me.” I bared my teeth in what I knew was a frightening display of the demon in me. “That even means you, you sick fucking bastard. I’m going to get off on slicing your throat open ear to ear.” He struggled, but the hit to the head still settled, the glossy look in his eyes present. Blood trickled out of one of his ears, but the bastard had the balls to still grin, red covering his teeth.
“I would have fucked her until she was a broken?—”
I brought my knife to the soft spot right below his ear and dragged it slow and deep all the way around until I reached his other ear, his skin opening up like a ribbon being pulled awayfrom a gift. Blood sprayed across my chest and covered my hands, droplets splashing on my neck.
I straddled his waist and stared down at him, right into his eyes, watching as life faded from him as he struggled. His hands were at his throat like he could seal the wound up, as if it’d staunch the blood flow and save him. I kept my grin in place, because even though Leonid knew he was dying, even if he tried to use the last of his strength to push me off, everything he’d worked for was now nothing.
“Your legacy ends here and now, Leonid. Your sons will move in the opposite direction of what you wanted.” I leaned in close so his blood was the only thing I smelled, that metallic scent that filled my nose and had adrenaline rushing through me. “Did you know they’re forming an alliance with the Cosa Nostra?” Leonid’s eyes widened, and he feebly struggled against the news. “Yeah, it seems like Nikolai is marrying a little Italian to bring the two families together.” I laughed low at the look on Leonid’s ashen face. “I bet that just skins you alive, doesn't it?”
His eyes narrowed in one last rush of aggression, and he grated out in a barely audible hiss, “Fuck. You.”
I laughed darkly and cupped the side of his face before saying, “No. Looks like you're the one being fucked.”
He started gasping, his mouth opening and closing, the blood flow from his neck slowing. And then he looked at something over my shoulder just as anything and everything that used to be Leonid Petrov faded away.
I stayed where I was as I stared down at him, this heaviness in my chest lifting marginally knowing Galina was safe from this fucker. I stood and walked a few steps back, and while keeping my eyes on the dead bastard, I grabbed my phone from my pocket and dialed the number that would handle the rest of this.
As soon as I heard the deep voice on the other end, I said, “I need to book a travel ticket for one. Yes, I need assistance withextra baggage.” I stared at Leonid’s now lifeless form as I put the cleanup in motion.
Once it was all set and my phone was back in my coat pocket, I reached over and grabbed a white linen napkin, rubbing it over my hands while I stared down at the fabric as it changed to red and pink. The blood of my enemy smeared across that strip of cloth, the stickiness of it covering my fingers and palms.
I let the napkin drop as I left the room, shutting the door behind me. If the women were smart, they were long gone by now. I walked down the hall and saw Akim standing in the kitchen entrance. His gaze took in the blood covering my clothing and hands. I gave him a nod, and he gave me one in return.
I left the restaurant and headed back to Galina.Moy svet.
My light.
21
Galina
I’d seen the blood on Arlo’s hands and clothes, smelled it filling the car interior as he said nothing and drove us back to his apartment. I didn’t need to ask what had happened… what he’d done. I knew.
He’d killed Leonid. He’d made it safe for me.
