Page 145 of Brutal Knight

He seemed startled before his grip intensified. "What?"

"You have to let me go," I brushed wet hair from my eyes, suddenly feeling drained in a way I hadn’t in a long time. "I can't keep relying on you." He was already shaking his head, but I rushed to try to convince him. "I came to you when they kidnapped and drugged me. I can’t do this. Not anymore."

"Tatiana, I told you, I'm never going to let you go."

"You have to," I insisted.

"No, I don't," he countered firmly. His expression flickered, then grew darker as he masked whatever emotion he was feeling. "They? This was the same people who drugged you?"

"I...." I shrugged my shoulders helplessly, wishing I had an answer. "I don't know."

"And if you did, would you tell me?" I was silent for a long moment. We were going back into dangerous territory. "It was Carlos," he said.

"What?"

"I dug a hole in the desert, and put Carlos in it."

There was a sudden knot in my throat. "My necklace."

He nodded. "Carlos said it was someone from Veracruz. It must be an old enemy of mine." He chuckled darkly. "If so, they waited a long goddamn time. I killed off those fuckers nine years ago."

"After they killed your family," I defended him fiercely.

"They deserved it," he agreed. He stared out across the pool thoughtfully. "Carlos said a man namedcaminantewas after us. Do you know anyone named that?"

I shook my head. "No."

"Or how it might relate to his nickname? You know those cartel fuckers are superstitious. They'd call him that for a reason."

I tried to think. There was a hint of familiarity that I couldn’t quite put my finger on, like a flavor I’d tasted before but couldn't name. When I tried, the familiarity would vanish. "I don't know." I sighed, rubbing my eyes. I was exhausted. "I'm sorry."

"When I find out who it is, I will kill him, then every goddamn cartel member who helped him."

"Antonio." I whispered, remembering that guy who'd tried to rape me, but Antonio stopped him.

"Who?" Knight's stare was intense.

"No one." A soft breeze blew my hair, making a shiver work its way up my spin.

"Come on." He helped me up from the ground. "We need to find somewhere safe. Then we're going to figure out who the hell thiscaminanteis."

THIRTY-THREE

My eyes sprung open,fear gripped my heart, seizing in my chest.

Every nerve on alert.

I tightened my hold over Tatiana's belly, the feel of her flesh comforting, making my breathing begin to slow. There was a phantom pain in my fingers, a stark reminder of what Russia had taken from me, as I slowly etched my finger over Tatiana's skin, warm and soft.

She was here.Safe.

It'd been two days since someone had stolen her from my arms. Since they'd drugged our wine and almost killed her. And ever since, I'd lived and breathed in a murderous rage, trying to tamper it down just enough as to not scare Tatiana.

But the itch was under my skin –– ready to kill at a moment's notice.

We were in a safe house, deep in the middle of King territory, and the anticipation was making me restless, waiting for Torian to interrogate the hotel employee who'd brought our food that night.

A low sound drew my attention and I strained to hear the mumbled conversation outside my door.

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