Page 180 of Unexpected Heroine

By the time I’m done raging and punching him—for now—his face is swollen, his lip is cut, and I’m fairly certain his nose is broken too.

Still not enough.

“Katia.” He rasps and gurgles, finally answering me. “Lenkov’s girl. Her name is Katia.”

Bingo.

“Listen up, fuckface, because I have an important question. Your answer might decide if you live or die. We already know Katia Sergeyevich is Nikolai Lenkov’s mistress. That’s old news, but at least you were honest about that. But something else you said must be bullshit. Here’s your chance to come clean.”

Blood trickles from his nose into his mouth. “Okay. I will. I promise.”

“Earlier, you told us Viktor is overseeing the trafficking ring. Not his father, Nikolai.”

“Yeah?” he warbles, confused and still fighting through the pain from my fist.

“Why the fuck is Nikolai’s mistress meeting with you about the trafficking ring if Viktor is the one in charge?”

“I . . . well . . . I mean . . .”

“Pinky finger. Take it,” I order, flicking my wrist at Jonesy and rising from the ground.

I need some space.

It’s not because I don’t have the stomach for watching his blood spill that’s bothering me. It’s that I don’t think this is going to work, and that’s pissing me the fuck off. His screams lose their luster.

Raking my fingers through my hair, I pace a few feet away from him, keeping my gaze on the barn floor.

I want the answers more than I want him to suffer. Fearing we aren’t going to get what I need out of him sends a million acid-tipped needles barreling through my head and chest.

Normally, I’m an unflappable rock for shit like this. Why feel remorse for hurting people whose life’s mission is to barbarically destroy the lives of the innocent? The ends always justify the means.

While they still do—I think—I don’t want to be part of this. Enough pain. Enough suffering. Enough fucking blood.

All I want is to be home. With my sugar bear.

I want to be James fucking Harris again.

No. Not him.

Tomer.

But better. A Tomer worthy of her love.

I need her to love me.

Leo’s words run through my mind.

Don’t wait. Fight for her. Don’t let her go.

Her words file through my mind right behind his. From the night I left her with Kri and the girls so I could talk to Savin and burn the nightmare house.

Come back to me the same man I fell in love with.

A man worthy of her love wouldn’t kill this man in a dirty fucking barn.

“Stop!” When I turn around, Jonesy and Aaron have Kadin’s hand splayed out on the ground, the blade only beginning to saw into his flesh.

At what point does love stop being enough?

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