Page 96 of Ripped Veil (Ripped Bratva)

But as it turns out, that doesn’t even factor in. Because Murray doesn’t make any attempt to attack either Matvei or me.

Instead, he turns towards the wall and starts bashing his own head against the cracked stones.

“Fuck!” Matvei breathes.

I stare at Murray in shock for a moment, realizing that he’s trying to kill himself.

“Stop him!” I command.

Matvei is already moving forward, but Murray’s movements are frenzied and desperate now. He looks like he’s been possessed.

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

His head slams into the jagged stones. I hear the squelch of blood, the cracking of bone.

Matvei grabs him, but Murray swings around, blood dropping off his face and smashes his face into Matvei’s chin.

Matvei stumbles back, surprised, and Murray uses the second of disorientation to his advantage.

He snatches the knife hanging from the waistband of Matvei’s jeans and stabs my best friend right in the stomach.

I jump forward and grab hold of the manic man. Hurling him back against the wall with all my strength, I expect the force to crack his spine in two.

But even if it does, he doesn’t show it. He’s too crazed by the demons in his head and the drugs in his system. By his fear of Astra Tyrannis. By the blood on his hands.

Still frothing at the mouth, he bounces off the wall and comes charging towards me. I raise my hands and drop into a defensive crouch, ready to fight.

But he never makes it all the way to me. At the last second, he veers off course and heads for Matvei instead.

Time slows down.

The knife is still clasped tight in Murray’s bloodied hands. I know that by the time I get to him, he’ll have stabbed my friend again.

Matvei can’t protect himself. He’s lying on the ground, struggling to contain the rampant bleeding.

My thoughts are warring with each other.

I have to save Matvei.

But I still need Murray.

He’s my last lead. And he also knows more than he’s letting on. I feel sure of that now. The expression that flickered across his face when I’d asked about spies… it was telling.

Even if he didn’t know details, he knew something. And that’s more than what I have now.

I have fractions of a second left to decide. Murray is raising the knife above his head. Howling like a wolf, he starts to bring it down, down, down…

BANG.

I pull out my gun and end his fucking life where he stands.

Or at least, I thought I did. But my aim wasn’t quite as good as it should’ve been. Too distracted by all the haunted thoughts running through my head.

Instead of my bullet burying itself between his eyes, it catches him in the chest. He’s flopping on the ground and wailing.

I approach him with my gun still raised.

“Matvei!” I roar. “You okay?”

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