Page 75 of The Watcher's Bride

“I need a gun,” Leo says, as if he’s asking for a lighter and not a deadly weapon to kill the woman he claims to love. I can’tread anything in his expression, and I’m not sure whether I’m about to die or be saved.

Dimitri shakes his head, looking at me with a sadistic gleam in his eyes. “No, I think dear Norelle deserves the personal touch. I’ve seen you kill bigger men with your bare hands, so she shouldn’t be hard to end,” he says dismissively.

A muscle twitches in Leo’s jaw, and I hope that perhaps he’s finally seen Dimitri’s words for the manipulations they are. But then he turns and walks over to me. He places his strong hands around my throat—hands that used to touch me tenderly and bring me so much pleasure will now be the weapon of my destruction. His touch is gentle and as he looks into my eyes. I only see the man I love.

Satisfied that he has already won, Dimitri turns to my father and launches into a monologue, gloating about how he’s going to kill his beloved daughter as revenge for the murder of his brother. He claims that he only pretended to be allies to get revenge. He doesn’t mention Quinn’s betrayal or that we know he’s working with the Chinese.

A tear trails down my cheek, and I look at Leo, wanting him to know that I understand. Dimitri has controlled him for so long, just as my father did to me, that he doesn’t know how to be anything other than his blindly loyal servant. Although he might be about to kill me, I only want to take his pain away. For him to know that I forgive him. I don’t want to haunt him.

“It’s okay,” I assure him. “I love you, Leo.”

I couldn’t die without him knowing it, without ever saying the words. I can’t believe this is the first and last time I’ll be able to tell him. I wish I could make him believe how much I mean it.

“I love you too,” he replies as he bends down to place a soft kiss on my lips, an apology, a goodbye.

I close my eyes and wait for the end, but the pressure on my neck releases instead of tightens. My eyes fly open in surprise to see Leo striding toward his uncle. I don’t notice the blade in his hand until he draws it in one swift movement across the man’s neck from behind. Blood sprays across the viewing window where a slow smile creeps across my father’s face.

Dimitri clutches at his throat in surprise as he chokes on his own blood. He turns to look at his nephew, eyes wide in shock.

“That’s for my family, you traitorous bastard,” Leo hisses.

He watches with disdain as the life drains from his uncle’s body before looking up at my father. I swear I see my father’s cool demeanor slip for the first time as he hurries to leave. Leo seems unconcerned as he turns his focus to me and walks over to where I’m lying there in shock, still trying to process what just happened.

“You killed your uncle to protect me,” I say disbelievingly as he unties me.

“Of course. You didn’t think I was actually going to kill you, did you?” he asks in surprise, a flicker of hurt in his concerned eyes.

“But… you said you have to put your family first. I thought you believed him.”

“Nora,youare my family. I know you. I know what Dimitri said wasn’t the truth. You hate your father as much as I do. Dimitri just wanted to control me and to prevent any risk ofus producing an heir. I’m certain he wanted you dead from the moment we married.”

With my shackles released, he pulls me into a tight embrace. “I’m so sorry I scared you. I had to make him believe I was going to do it. If I didn’t, he wouldn’t have released me and he’d have made me watch him hurt you.”

“Where did you get the knife?” I ask, still reeling from the turn of events.

“I always keep one strapped to my leg. Can you forgive me?” he implores, stroking my face as he stares into my soul.

“I forgave you even when I thought you were about to kill me.”

“I would never hurt you, I just needed my uncle to believe I would,” he says fiercely, and I can’t believe I doubted him even if only for a moment.

I grab him and kiss him, wanting to show him the feelings that I cannot find the words to express. He kisses me back with a need that matches my own. The door opens and Leo pulls away, ready in case it’s an enemy.

“Sorry to interrupt, but you’re needed out here, Pakhan,” Tatiana says.

Leo nods and rises. “Where is Quinn?”

“He’s escaped,” Tatiana admits.

“How? We have ten men here, surely, they can overpower him.” Leo asks.

Tatiana grimaces. “Had. It seems Quinn has been busy infiltrating our ranks. He ran out saying you’re a traitor who’s killed their Pakhan and offered for them to join him instead. I tried to explain, to argue your case, but many didn’t listen. We didn’t have enough men to fight them, and the ones who remained didn’t want to risk fighting an ally without a direct order from their new Pakhan. Quinn used this to his advantage and was able to slip away from us.”

We’ve taken down Dimitri, but our real enemy has escaped our grasp and is more powerful than ever. Somehow, my father always seems to be one move ahead of us at all times.

Chapter 46

Leo

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