“I’m impressed. Normally, I have to fight your battles for you.”
“Or you’d create them,” I say.
She gasps and pokes me in the arm. “Only you would bring that on.”
“Vik, you were always trying to one-up me. You brought it on yourself.”
She rolls her eyes and turns the TV back on. “Fine. I’ll admit, I can be a little … intense sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” Mila teases, making Vik toss a pillow at her.
We all share a laugh. Looking at my sisters, I know they’ll be all right. Mikhail promised me he would care for them, and I believe him now. It’s just his heart I’m not sure about. Will he ever be able to give it to me? Or will our marriage just be one of lust and discipline?
“I talked to Mikhail,” I say. “You’re safe. What happened at the party last night will never happen again.”
“You’re sure?” Vik asks.
“I’m sure.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” a familiar voice says.
We spin toward the hallway to see Boris pointing a gun at us.
“How did you get in here?” I ask, slowly standing up and blocking his view of Mila. Vik does the same. She wobbles for a second but regains her balance. Her ankle is still pretty weak.
“During the party.”
“You’ve … been here all night and day?” The thought is horrifying.
“And your powerful husband didn’t even realize. Some leader he is. Now, I’ve come for Mila. Hand her over, and no one has to get hurt.”
“You know we’re not going to do that,” I say. Vik and I slowly take each other’s hand. I can feel Mila behind me. I just hope she doesn’t move. Boris cannot have her.
“What’s going on in here?” Mary asks, entering the room. Boris immediately turns to her and fires. The bullet lands in her stomach, knocking her to the floor. Mila screams, I gasp, and Vik stands there with her mouth gaping open.
“Think I’m still not serious?” Boris asks.
The front door bursts open, and the guard, Fedor, runs inside. Boris shoots him before Fedor even gets the chance to raise his gun. It’s a headshot. Fedor slumps to the ground, right beside Mary.
“I am taking Mila with me,” Boris says. “No one else has to die. Besides, Andrei is waiting for you, Sofiya. You’re coming with us.”
I go rigid. “Andrei?”
“What about me?” Vik asks. “Anyone coming for me?”
“Not this time.” Boris sneers at her. “You think you’re so special, but no man will ever want you. Not with your bitchy attitude. If you don’t move, I will kill you. I have no need for you.”
Vik takes a step forward. “No. I am not moving so you can take my sisters away and do god knows what to them. I would rather die.”
I stare at Vik in astonishment. Vik has always been a confident woman, but this is the first time I’ve ever heard her truly fight for Mila and me.
Boris shrugs. “Then so be it.” He fires his gun at her.
But I push her out of the way at the last minute. A sharp, hot, stinging sensation enters my arm and I scream, clutching my bicep. Looking down, I see blood seeping from a small wound.
“Mila, run!” I shout. She remains frozen. “Mila!”
That jerks her out of her shock, and she takes off running towards the kitchen. Boris follows after her.
Vik turns to me. “Are you all right?”
“I got shot. But it’s not life-threatening. I’ll be fine for the moment.”
“Good. Then we need to get Mila.” Vik, despite her weak ankle, takes off running after them.
I follow at a slower rate, my arm killing me. Right when I pass Mary’s body, I hear her moan. Shocked she’s still alive, I glance down at her.
“Help me,” she gurgles out, blood staining her teeth.
“I’ll try,” I tell her before running into the kitchen.
Mila has a knife and has placed herself on one side of the island while Boris is on the other. “Come to me, Mila.”
“No,” she says. “I’m tired of being nice to you. I don’t want to marry you.”
“You said Mikhail was keeping us apart.”
“It was a lie.”
