Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94829 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 474(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
“The ultrasounds. I fucking saw you two—”
“No, you saw my guard drive to the hospital and back. You never saw someone get out. You never saw me.” I tap my gun against his head. “Think, Seamus. Why do you think we used that private hospital?”
“The entrance is blocked by that fucking fence.”
“Exactly. Every week I dangled the bait. I made sure it was so easy for you to get to it. We spread the rumors and waited, nice and patient, for you to make your move.”
“You fucker,” he says with a groan.
“Killed by your own sick obsession. It’s almost funny, if it weren’t so fucking disgusting.”
“It doesn’t have to go down this way,” he hisses, looking scared. “I don’t care about Dasha. I’ll leave her alone.”
“Don’t start begging now. That’s just pathetic.”
I put the barrel of my gun against the bloody wound in his leg and lean into it. He lets out a strangled scream of agony.
“Please,” he whispers, going weak now. A lot of blood has spread out in the cracks of the concrete, filling up the holes like little rivers of death.
“Someone should’ve put you down a long time ago. You got lucky. You got more years than you deserved. But now you’ll never come near my wife ever again.”
“My brother… he’ll kill you…”
“I hope he tries.” I stand, plant my heel on the wound, and grind hard. Seamus screams, back arched, and when I think he’s at the peak of his misery, I shoot him in the head.
He goes slack. The people around me scream.
I take a deep breath and smell the stink of dying. It’s a lovely perfume.
A car pulls up, and the back door pops open. “Tigran, we need to go.” Evan gestures for me to get in.
I look down at Seamus one more time, satisfaction ringing in my core.
Then I join my brother-in-law.
“That went well,” I say happily as the car pulls out, driving fast away from the crime scene.
“You called it,” Evan says, shaking his head with amazement, a big grin on his face. “The fucker really couldn’t help himself.”
“There’s a lesson for you somewhere in all this.” I lean back and close my eyes, thinking about all the dead in my wake. I’d kill a thousand more if it means keeping Dasha safe.
I suspect I just might have to in the weeks to come.
“Yeah? What lesson’s that?”
“Don’t fuck with my family.”
Evan laughs, and I shoot him a big, wolfish grin.
Chapter 38
Dasha
Six Months Later
“Push!”
Pain, bright lights, Tigran’s voice by my side encouraging me. “You can do this, baby, breathe now. Just do your breathing.”
Everything’s terrible. Childbirth sucks. I feel like I’m being split in half, but I want to get this over with. I want my baby so badly it hurts.
The nurses get the room prepped, and the doctor looks up at me from between my legs. “Ready for another?”
“You can do it, baby,” Tigran whispers, wiping my brow.
“Push!”
More pain, more shoving, my stomach muscles clenching and bearing down. Again, again, again, and I’m so exhausted I can barely breathe, my heart hammering and racing in my chest, and then—
A scream.
No, not a scream.
A cry.
Tigran’s laughing. I’ve never seen him so happy before. I have a few seconds to catch my breath before the doctor lifts a perfect little baby girl and places her against my bare chest.
“Congratulations,” the doctor says, grinning huge. “Skin to skin now. Dad, I’d do it too once she’s done.”
“I plan on it,” Tigran rumbles, kneeling by my side. “You did so good, baby, so fucking good. Wow, look at her. My god, she’s so small.”
“Perfect,” I whisper, giddy with emotion. High from the release of childbirth. My mind reeling as I hold my baby for the very first time in my arms. My soul joyous knowing this is my family.
I feel so much love in this moment. Tigran leans over me, kissing my forehead, speaking to the baby in Armenian and Russian. He kisses the baby too.
“Amelia,” I whisper, kissing her little nose. Then I look at Tigran for approval.
His eyes are shining as he nods. “Little Amelia,” he agrees. “Not Russian or Armenian. Something all for us.”
“I love you, Amelia,” I whisper to her.
Tigran holds us both, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say there was a tear in his eye.
But no, not Tigran. Can’t be possible.
“Oh my god, she’s perfect.” Lena cradles Amelia in her arms. “I can’t wait to introduce you to Roman. Oh my god, you two are going to be best friends.”
“She really is incredible,” Arsen says and pats Tigran roughly on the shoulder. “You should be proud.”
“Dasha did all the work.”
Arsen laughs and bends down to kiss my cheek. “Your husband’s a smart man.”
“He’s learning fast,” I say, beaming up at him.
“Can I keep her?” Lena asks, cooing at the baby. “I’m serious. I’ll leave right now with her.”