Page 72 of Savage Little Lies

I’m on my own.

I put my back to the man eyeing me and hurry down the sidewalk in the direction I think is my apartment. I was so distracted by fighting with Brendan and the others that I didn’t even take note of how long we were driving for.

It might take me a whole hour to make it back to my apartment on foot, in painful heels.

A fiery, bitter feeling spreads through me as I pick up my pace, pushing past the strain in my muscles.

This is such bullshit. I’ve busted my ass to make this plan work, and just as I’m on the cusp of victory, my father threatens me?

I won’t forget this, and taking my cash won’t stop me from getting the hell away from him.

I just need to make the money back and ensure that my father’s men don’t know that I have more. They’ll keep taking from me until I have nothing left.

No family. No friends. No place to live. No job.

That’s about to be my life once everything is said and done, but I would rather suffer through all of that instead of continuing to be threatened and pressured to the point of losing sleep.

By the time I make it back to my apartment, sweat glistens on my forehead, I can’t feel my toes, and my calves ache from my speed walking. I clench my teeth as I shove open the door to my unit and storm inside, a furious exhale puffing out of my nose.

No more playing fair. No more giving anyone the benefit of the doubt or a sliver of mercy.

It’s time to pull some drastic moves because Brendan was right about one thing. I’ll give him that.

I’m running out of time.

No one is coming to save me.

I’ll have to do it myself.

27

Dmitri

Since I was a boy, I’ve lived by one rule: family above all.

Personal desires don’t factor in. Only what strengthens the family.

That’s why everything is centered around the good of the family, whether that’s marriage arrangements, business decisions, or anything else that has any impact on our livelihoods, our legacy.

I’ve stood by it.

Until tonight.

After this morning, the answer was clear.

Even if it makes me a new enemy and costs me Pakhan.

Pressure sits heavy on my chest as I walk into Crowne, one of the upscale bars where the wealthy meet to drink and talk away from the tourists. I head to the back past the large main bar where patrons are seated, the smell of liquor and cologne filling my nose.

My eyes eventually land on Artur, who sits at a table in the back corner with a half-full glass of vodka in front of him.

He catches sight of me and nods, gesturing to the chair across from him. “I’ll flag down the waiter for you. I went ahead and got started.”

I merely nod once I sit down, tension winding around my throat as my thoughts battle it out in my mind over what the hell to say first. The fact that I even called Artur to meet with me tonight is insane enough. I usually wait a day, sleep on every major decision before pulling the trigger. Not this time. Waiting even a few more hours felt impossible.

A waiter walks up in a crisp white button-down and black slacks. “What can I get you from the bar, sir?”

“Vodka,” I tell him, my eyes not leaving Artur as he takes a drink from his glass.