Page 87 of One of Them

Gun aimed at the family reunion ahead, I glanced at the back door, waiting for the expected rush of guards. Nothing. Neither moved. If anything, Malek seemed…pleased.

Did I walk into a trap?

“The last piece of the puzzle,” Malek said, lounging on the couch, before rushing to my side.

“Welcome home,solnishko.”

He placed his hand on my cheek, stroking it, then kissed my forehead.

The gesture felt wrong, far too intimate. The same touch I used to crave now made my skin crawl. Still, I forced an innocent smile, playing the part he wanted for this occasion.

His last.

But just as I started to play my hand, Ravager broke the moment. From behind us, I watched him raise his gun, aiming it directly at us.

“You were always blind. And you will die blind.”

A shot rang out. I braced for impact, sidestepping to hide behind Malek just in time.

A fountain of blood splashed on my face.

For a split second, I questioned if it was mine, but the fact that I could still move told me it couldn’t be. I swallowed the lump in my throat, the metallic taste coating my taste buds, and closed my eyes.

The weight of the body leaning against me registered in my brain, and I laughed. I laughed and laughed, and when I opened them again, Malek slid down the front of my shirt, coating me with even more blood.

The weight lifted off my shoulders. Literally.

I laughed some more.

Following the movement, I found him on the ground, bleeding into the carpet. His head was blown apart, bits and pieces scattered. It resembled a shotgun blast, except the shot had been so quiet and the impact spared me, destroying him from the inside. I didn’t dwell on the specifics.

Suddenly aware of the chunks covering my clothes, I tried to wipe most of it away.

“Destructive bullets,” Ravager clarified, even though no one asked.

I didn’t reply. I didn’t look his way. I just stood there, soaked in the blood of the enemy, witnessing the carpet change colors with Malek’s remains.

Five to go.

The back door busted open.

I took a fighting stance, expecting the guards, assuming they were alerted by the gunshot, and came to defend. Too late.

Maxim stood there in all his glory.

Wait, what?

He looked pissed. His wandering eyes came to a halt at the sight of me.

“What the fuck happened here?” he roared into the room.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, raw and full of rage. That wasn’t Maxim’s usual detached, sarcastic tone. This was something else entirely.

The fury radiated off him, and I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of something inside.

“Maxim?” I called his name, still in shock. Or maybe surprise.

“You could have fucking killed her, you idiot,” Maxim snapped.

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