Page 82 of Bride By Initiation

My insides shake harder.

Sean releases my hand and secures his arm around me. He murmurs, "Everything is going to be okay."

I lock eyes with him.

He squeezes me tighter and refocuses on Valentina.

The bald man declares, "There were two men going after her."

Valentina argues, "Like I said, that makes you a coward." She holds her hand out, and the man in the tuxedo gives her the gun.

"Please, Valentina. No," the bald man pleads.

Her lips twist. She studies him for a moment, then announces, "Don't worry, I'm not killing you."

He sags in relief. "Thank you."

She holds the gun out in front of the redhead, asserting, "You derailed her promised future. So she's going to be the one to kill you."

My stomach flips.

The bald man implores, "No, please."

The redhead's eyes widen. She shakes her head. "No. I—I can't."

Sean tightens his grip on my waist, and the other man who wanted me to choose him takes a few steps away from us.

Valentina continues to hold the weapon, asking the redhead, "Are you not able to follow orders either?"

She glances between the gun and the bald man, stuttering as her face pales, "I-I-I?—"

"Kill him! Kill him!" the crowd chants louder and louder, stomping their feet.

"Go on," Valentina urges.

The redhead slowly takes the Glock. Her hand shakes so hard, the barrel's moving all over the place. She holds it out in front of her, but then shuts her eyes and puts her arm down. "I can't. I'm sorry. I just can't."

Valentina nods to the man next to her.

He grabs the gun, shoots the redhead in the chest, then turns and fires another shot at the bald man. There are two loud thumps as their bodies fall to the ground.

The women on the stage scream, and a few of the men as well. The crowd goes wild as blood pools between the two corpses until it circles Valentina. Only a tiny area around her shoes isn't coated by blood.

Two men come and hold their hands out to her. She takes them, and they put their other hands under her armpits and lift her over the blood.

As soon as she's in a clean area, the men disappear off the stage, as does the one with the gun.

She holds her hand in the air to quiet the crowd, then pins her gaze on me.

A whimper flies out of me. My knees buckle, but Sean holds me against him as close as possible.

The stranger who wanted me to choose him takes another step away from us.

Valentina struts across the stage, stands in front of us, and focuses on Sean. "You were told to choose the redhead."

He stands taller and scowls at her, stating, "If you're told to do something and you do it, it's not really a choice, is it?"

The crowd gasps.

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