Page 84 of Married to the Don (Kornilov Bratva Duet 1)

It’s the first time I realize the depth of my affection for him.

I want to protect Viktor. For weeks now, he has been trying to protect me and Theo, but somehow, I have grown to want to do the same for him.

His brother is a loose cannon and a danger, and I wish I could fix everything and let him keep what little bit of his family he has left, but I can’t. And it breaks my heart.

“Viktor,” I say softly.

Fedor tightens his hold on me, but the word has its hoped effect. Viktor flinches and then turns towards the men standing next to him.

“You admitted yourself, Rio, that we’re all here because of Fedor,” he says. “Fedor is the reason your men are dead and the reason we had to fight at all. You can’t trust him.”

Rio glares at Viktor and then turns to his father. They share a look that I can’t decipher from this far away, and Fedor growls in frustration.

“He’s crazy!” I yell, pulling away from Fedor as hard and fast as I can. If I die, I’m going to die doing my best to ruin Fedor’s plans. “You can’t trust him. He’s delusional, and he’ll turn on you just like he’s turning on his brother.”

Fedor curses and yanks me back, pressing the gun even harder against my temple. Hard enough that I cry out.

“If you hurt her, I swear to God, Fedor, I’ll kill you myself!” Viktor shouts.

Everything is starting to dissolve, and I’m waiting for the first gunshot to go off. Because surely it will. Tensions are too high and there are too many weapons for someone not to end up dead. I simply hope it’s me instead of Viktor.

The thought surprises me, but I realize it isn’t entirely selfless. I left Theo with Viktor because I thought it was where he would be safest, and I still think that’s true. If Viktor is killed, and I survive this, it will mean that Fedor escaped. And if Fedor is free, my son and I will never be safe. Viktor has to survive for Theo to have a future.

Fedor is struggling with me and still trying to talk to the don and his son, and I realize that he doesn’t have enough arms or the attention span to do it all at once. Viktor is moving towards us, and Fedor hardly notices.

“He’s a rapist,” I scream, hoping my fight will distract Fedor long enough for Viktor to be able to help without getting me killed. I struggle against his hold, twisting towards the don and his son and away from Viktor. “Fedor is a rapist and a monster. You don’t want to ally with him.”

The two men look uncomfortable, but they have the good sense to stay quiet. Siding with either brother at this point could be a death sentence if the other comes out victorious.

Fedor digs his fingernails into my arm, and I cry out. “Stay put. I’m not done with you.”

Goosebumps sprout along my neck and back, and I twist again, turning Fedor even more away from Viktor.

“You can barely control a single girl. How can you control the city?” Rio asks.

“I can’t,” Fedor says. “But we can. Together. I have information about the Bratva you would kill for. Except now, you don’t have to. I’ll give it to you for the price of your loyalty. For the price of partnering with me and my men.”

Rio seems to be tossing the idea around in his mind, and his father is concerningly quiet. If they make a decision before Viktor can get to me, they may sic their men on Viktor and end his attempts to save me. And Viktor is still only able to creep forward. Any faster, and he will draw Fedor’s attention.

I realize all at once that I don’t have time to wait and be rescued. I have to do it myself.

“With my knowledge and your experience, we will own the game,” Fedor says, his words dripping with passion and promise. I have no doubt he means every word he’s saying. Though, based on what I’ve seen of him, he could change his mind within a minute. Fedor can’t be trusted.

“What of Maria?” the older man says. “Would you want to take her as a wife to secure the connection or—”

Rio turns on his father, eyes ablaze, while Fedor bobs his head back and forth, considering it. I recognize it as my opportunity. Everyone is distracted.

So, with as much strength as I can muster, I twist in Fedor’s arms and bring my knee to his groin the same way I did to Viktor the night I awoke to find Theo missing from the hotel room.

Fedor has the upper hand because of the gun, but I’ve also caught him off guard. He crumples immediately, momentarily forgetting the weapon in his hand, and I use the precious seconds I have to wrestle out of his hold and run towards Viktor.

I’m halfway across the parking lot when Rio breaks away from his father and moves towards me. The guards around him surge forward as well, following their leader’s unspoken order, and Viktor spins and shoots. I can’t tell if he hit his target or if he even had one, rather shooting blindly. The only thing I can think about is reaching him.

As soon as I reach Viktor, he shoves me behind him and moves backwards towards the building. He pushes me through a hole in the wall and then rushes back into the parking lot.

I call after him, but I don’t follow. I don’t have a weapon, and I know I would only be a distraction if I went with him. If he’s going to fight his way out of this when the two men—Rio, at least—have decided to partner with Fedor, then he can’t have a single distraction.

Shots are ringing out like crazy, and I stay hidden behind the wall, hoping and praying Viktor is safe. Though I don’t see how he can escape unscathed.

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