Page 155 of Dance of Madness

I stand there, looming over her as the water trickles down her face. Her ponytail lies limp and bedraggled down her back. Her eye makeup is smudged.

Her dress…

Fuck.

The white summery thing is clinging to her like a second skin.

Hugging every curve.

Everycrease.

The wet dress is so transparent that I can see the swell of her small tits and the soft pink flush of her nipples as they tighten to hard points.

I rip my gaze away.

“I can assume your father and his little fucker of a brother, Levka, were in charge,” I growl quietly. “But who else in the organization was involved with what happened that night?”

There’s just silence behind me. I take a slow breath as I turn on my heel to face her again.

“If you think I’m fucking around,” I murmur, “let me demonstrateexactlyhow wrong you are.”

My hand slips into my back pocket, pulling out a knife and flicking it open with a softshnick.

Milena’s lips tremble as her eyes snap to the gleaming blade.

“Who the fuck else was involved, Milena. Rurik, maybe? To be clear, I’m curious because I’m making a list of the people I’m going to skin,alive.Then I'll slowly shave pieces off them for… I haven't decided. Probably atleasttwo weeks.”

Her body shivers, even if she clearly tries to hold it back.

“Maybe that’s a threat, maybe it’s a promise.” I examine the knife in my hand thoughtfully. “Maybe I just like sharp objects.”

She purses her lips. “People are going to be looking for me.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

“TheyknowI was with you, Nero,” she mutters.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Who the fuck helped?—”

“What is your goal here?!” she blurts, lurching to her feet. “How does this end, Nero?! You gonnastabme?! Skin me alive?!” She shudders. “Tortureme if I don’t tell you who was involved in the war with your family?”

I choke out a bitter laugh.

“It wasn’t a war,princess,” I snarl. “It was an unprovoked massacre.”

She scowls. “It was retaliation. Your family shot first.”

I bark a cold laugh.

“Your father sent a sniper to my father’s?—”

“That's not how it went down,” I hiss.

“Yes, it is.”

“Oh?” I smile coldly at her. “Who in your family was killed, Milena? Who was hurt, or eveninconveniencedby this preemptive sniper attack? Hmm?!” I glare at her smugly as she curls in on herself.

“No?” I grunt. “No idea?”

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