Chapter 36
G regor
Blood-curdling screams.
Each one piercing my brain like an ax.
What the hell is going on?
“He killed your father! Oh God, the monster killed your father!”
Samara’s answering cry propelled me to my feet.
Tossing the gun on the desk, I rubbed my eyes to clear my blurry vision. When I finally looked up, I followed Samara’s horrified gaze. My shirt was soaked in blood.
On the floor at my feet lay her father. His eyes were open and his mouth hung open at a grotesque angle. There were at least three bullet wounds to the chest and one to the head.
Fuck.
“Samara, I….”
Alena Federova raised her arm and pointed an accusatory finger at me. “You killed my husband. I saw you.”
“Malyshka, you know I didn’t do this.”
“Of course he did! He’s a criminal. He’s probably murdered hundreds of men in cold-blood,” sneered her mother.
Samara stood rigid in the doorway, her hand over her mouth and her arm wrapped around her stomach. She stared at her dead father with horrified eyes.
Needing to protect her, I took several steps toward her but froze when her head snapped up to train terrified eyes on me.
Fuck . This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when I finally convinced her to truly be mine. I couldn’t lose her this way. I tried to keep my voice calm and steady. “Samara, listen to me.”
“Don’t listen to him! He’s the monster who chased you away from your home and your family for years .
He took advantage of your poor father. Forced him into that despicable arrangement.
It broke your father’s heart to do it. We both loved you so much,” cried Alena as she brushed away non-existent tears.
This finally broke through Samara’s shock. Her head slowly turned toward her mother. Her brow furrowed. Her words came out barely above a whisper. “That’s not true.”
Her mother’s voice faltered as she smoothed back her hair. “Of course it is! Your father and I didn’t want you to marry this… this thug! He threatened to kill us if we didn’t agree to the arrangement.”
I held my breath as I waited for Samara’s reply.
It was more than I deserved if she agreed with her mother.
I was the monster who had been chasing her for years.
I did force her into all of this against her will.
And no amount of tailored suits or art acquisitions would erase the fact that at my core, I was nothing more than a criminal, gun-running thug.
She could do way better.
She deserved way better.
Unfortunately, none of this changed the fact that I would fight to the death to keep her by my side. She was mine and not just because of some deal with her father or because of the money. She was mine because I loved her. Against the odds and the sins of our family’s pasts, I loved her.
And I had to hold on to the belief she loved me, too. I wasn’t fooling myself. I knew she loved me beyond her better judgement. I knew she still had doubts about the truth of her feelings and whether I was the right future for her.
We could work through all of that… if given the chance.
Samara shook her head. “I don’t believe you. I remember that night. The night of Nadia’s party. You and father were insisting I marry him. Telling me I had no choice. You’re lying.”
Alena dove for the gun on the desk and swung her arm between Samara and me.
I lunged across the room, blocking Samara’s body with my own.
Samara’s hands fisted into the fabric of my shirt. “Mother, what are you doing? Put the gun down!”
My gaze narrowed. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
Her mouth twisted, but she didn’t say a word.
I continued. “That’s why Boris had no idea about Egor. You’re the one who arranged the second marriage deal.”
Samara looked around my upper arm. “Mother, how could you!”
Alena rolled her eyes. “I’ll give you five million reasons. Your useless father pissed away the money Gregor gave us. I did what I had to do to survive.”
“Well, it’s over. Samara’s mine, and I’m going to make sure you never lay eyes on her again.”
“You men are all the same. You think you’re so smart. Well, I got news for you—it’s not over.”
“There’s a ring on Samara’s hand and a dead body on the floor that says otherwise,” I fired back.
Alena threw her head back and cackled. “You think Egor still wants to marry Samara? She’s damaged goods now. He’s moved on.”
“What do you mean?”
Alena shrugged. “My deal with Egor wasn’t about marrying Samara. It was about selling her to the highest bidder in the Middle East. You ruined that when it became obvious you were fucking her. Now he’ll have to settle for selling her to some brothel I suppose. She can work off her fee.”
My stomach twisted. I had seen and done some messed up things in my life, but nothing came close to hearing Samara’s mother casually talk about selling her daughter into the sex trade.
At Samara’s shocked gasp, I reached my left arm back and pulled her in closer.
I took a deep breath. Now I was on familiar ground. At its core, this was about business, and I now had leverage over Alena. She had screwed over a powerful and dangerous family. She would now need my help.
This wouldn’t be the first time I had to negotiate a deal staring down the barrel of a gun, but this was the most dangerous because of Samara. I needed her safe. Nothing else mattered to me.
“So, it looks like you and I need to make a deal. You need to repay Egor for his investment. I’m guessing you don’t have the funds… but I do. Let Samara leave, and you I will come to our own arrangement.”
Her gold bangles rattled as she raised the gun higher. “I’ve already made my deal. Fortunately for me, Egor blames you. I wouldn’t be surprised if he took your little bride from you before the honeymoon is over.”
“You know that happens over my dead body.”
“Suit yourself.”
Alena pulled the trigger.