Page 23 of Her Vicious Angel

He raised him up by his neck and then drove his head down again.

I was disgusted in myself for feeling a buzz along my skin. For Andrei to have all this raw power and be focusing it, even temporarily, on me, was intoxicating.

I can’t stop the flicker and heat of desire that fills me.

The theater manager is begging now, his voice urgent and panicked. His men don’t even try to interfere.

He and Dmitri then go back and forth about whatever is in the files and printouts. He’s apparently asking, begging, pleading, to show them another file that will make this all look better.

Andrei and Dmitri look impassively at him as he edges to the doorway.

I was just curling up my lip, thinking he was a contemptible worm, when he reached out for me, and yanked me toward him, pulling a gun from his pocket and pointing it at me.

Suddenly, his men from the theater and Andrei’s men had their guns out too.

The man held me, his hands sweaty and tight in my hair. His gun was jammed against my neck, pressing deep into my flesh.

“This is a misunderstanding,” he said. “I think I will take her with me, just to make sure you don’t follow.”

Andrei’s eyes were shooting molten fire. He was the only one who hadn’t drawn a gun.

“I wouldn’t do that,” he said. He hadn’t moved, but I felt the raw power gathering around him. “I’m the only one I permit to pull her hair.”

His men and Andrei’s men had their guns trained on each other. I felt sweat beginning to drip down my back. I didn’t want to get drug into anyone’s car who was stupid enough to steal from Andrei Petrovic, but I didn’t see how else the standoff would be resolved. Unless Andrei decided to let me be collateral damage and have a shoot-out.

12

ANDREI

Ican’t believe how stupid this dumb shit Anatoly is. Not only has he been skimming off the top as the theater manager, but anyone threatening Cerise has signed their own death warrant. I’d burn his whole fucking family to the ground first before I’d let him get away with laying a hand on her.

My eyes flick over to Vladimir. My meaning is clear, and he knows exactly what to do. With one quick move, he’s set the huge stack of papers and printouts on fire.

Anatoly whips his head around and, for one second, his gun wavers from Cerise. It’s enough for me. My knives appear in my hands as easily as most people hold their utensils at dinner.

The guy to his right has one clear, unmistakable shot at me. I don’t give a shit. I know either he’s too chickenshit to take the shot, or he’ll miss.

He misses.

I kick the gun away and plunge both my knives in Anatoly’s throat.

Then I grab Cerise and haul her ass behind the desk while my men open fire on what’s left of the theater owner’s men.

Two of them left as soon as they saw me move.

I keep one hand firmly on Cerise’s head, pressing her into the floor, keeping her from getting up.

She doesn’t move and I can hear her gasps of breath.

God, they make my dick hard.

My men are very efficient, and Dmitri calls the all clear after less than 30 seconds.

Anatoly is bleeding out on the fancy carpet. An asshole to the end.

I send an order for my men to go through the theater, make sure it is cleared of Anatoly’s men.

Shit, now I have to figure out who is going to run this theater. I knew this territorial expansion wouldn’t be easy, but now it’s pissing me off.

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