AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’re here for Gleb. We intend to kill him as soon as he walks through that door,” he says evenly, jerking his chin toward the entry. “Then we’re taking you back to Boston.”
So they are Kelly men. It would seem Gleb’s warning didn’t deter Vinny.
It only escalated him.
A realization hits me then. If these men got to the front door, they must have had to go through Lev and Denka.
My stomach plummets. Tears sting my eyes.
I hope Gleb’s men aren’t dead.
But from Leon’s vindictive glee at the thought of killing Gleb, I get the sinking feeling that he and his friend don’t hold back.
Which means I’m on my own.
My horror intensifies when I think of Gabby sleeping soundly in the other room. I have no way to protect her. She’s completely vulnerable, utterly exposed.
And Gleb. He’ll be walking into a trap. Blind. With me as bait.
My heart hammers. My mind races. I can almost smell the sharp scent of my fear in the air.
I glance over my shoulder at Leon’s partner to gauge the two men. They’re both armed with pistols and knives. And from the bulky shape of their chests, I suspect they might be wearing Kevlar under their clothes.
They’re not taking any chances.
Gleb will be outnumbered, out-gunned, blindsided. And with me as a hostage, he might not even try to fight back. Bile rises in my throat.
I twist my wrists, trying to wiggle loose from my restraints.
The plastic zip tie bites into my flesh without giving an inch.
The impossible angle makes my shoulders scream.
“Please, let me go,” I beg, keeping my voice low to avoid scaring Gabby. At the same time, I want to show my captors I’m willing to cooperate.
Leon gives a throaty chuckle. “Well, since you asked nicely…” he jokes, and he and his partner share a laugh at my expense.
How can I save Gleb without putting Gabby’s life at risk?
My mind throws out idea after desperate idea, searching for one that won’t end up with all three of us dead. Most of them are so far outside reality that I feel my hope slipping away.
“Do we really need to wait for Gleb?” I press, growing desperate to find a solution. “Why not just take me back to Boston now?”
“And have him follow us to take you back again? I don’t think so. The boss is done playing games.”
“What if I write a note telling him I’ve decided to leave him? He won’t follow us if he thinks I left willingly.”
The men laugh again, and Leon crosses his arms over his chest with a smug nonchalance. “It doesn’t matter. Vinny wants Gleb dead because the Kellys take their faith very seriously. He won’t break the sanctity of marriage. But nothing says he can’t have you once you’re a widow.”
Fuck. This is so bad. Leon could clearly care less about what he’s been sent to do. No amount of pleading on my part is going to save Gleb.
Overwhelming helplessness consumes me, making my shoulders curve forward in defeat. Because of me, because Gleb married me to try and protect me, he’s going to be killed.
But then, maybe Vinny’s men don’t actually know that Gleb and I have signed a legally binding contract, do they? Unless they bothered to go to the courthouse, they’re relying on Gleb’s word.
“Gleb and I never actually got married,” I state quickly. “He made it up to get Vinny off his back.”
Leon scoffs, but this time, the man behind me stays silent. Then, “I wouldn’t put it past him. The little pain in the ass was conniving, even growing up.”
