Page 27 of Bleed with Me

“I do?” I exhaled, accidentally making it sound like a question.

“Are you asking me?” he groaned. “Because then, the answer is no.”

“I do,” I confirmed sternly, flashing him a cold look while Dorian continued to laugh as if he knew how terribly this would end.

“Now you, Dorian Zhumagulov.” Lucas drifted his attention to him. “Do you take this unknown woman to be your wife, to stand beside her through crimes, chaos, and the inevitable bloodbath, until one of you ends up in the grave?”

One corner of my mouth lifted in a half-smile at Lucas’s sarcastic words. He couldn’t help it. He needed to show his disapproval somehow.

“Before I answer.” Dorian raised his hand groggily, but it wavered, and he grabbed the edge of the desk. I supported him so he didn’t fall, frowning at him. “Did we skip the part about objections? Because I certainly have some.” He grimaced, blinking rapidly. “And I’m sure somewhere there has to be a question about entering the marriage willingly.”

I opened my mouth to direct his mind elsewhere and get this over with, but my best friend lost the last remains of his patience and pulled out a gun.

“Answer the fucking question, or I’ll shoot you,” he threatened, yet it only made Dorian laugh more.

“Please, do it.” He grinned, clasping his hands in a pleading gesture. “I can’t wait to sit at the Devil’s table, drinking whiskey, and explaining how I got there. He would not fucking believe it!”

“Terrific,” I sighed, letting go of Dorian’s elbow. He barely balanced on his wobbly legs, staring into the barrel of the gun like some invisible force pulled him toward it.

“I’ll fucking shoot you!” Lucas yelled, clearly overwhelmed by this entire situation and the inevitable aftermath that awaited us.

“Shoot,” Dorian challenged him, but I slapped the back of his head. He turned to me, his eyes wide in surprise.

“Answer the question, handsome,” I said sweetly, pulling out my gun. “Or your hands will bleed.”

Lucas gave me a confused glance, but I ignored him and focused on my warning. I pressed the gun against Dorian’s wrist, his smile slowly fading.

“You wouldn’t, ma vilaine,” he whispered, giving me the most adorable puppy eyes I had ever seen. I literally felt like the biggest bitch on planet Earth.

“I would if you don’t cooperate.” I touched his cheek, brushing my gloved fingertips down to his jaw. “Answer the question.”

“Fine,” he pouted, his thick brows knitting above his glassy eyes. “I do.”

“Finally,” Lucas grumbled, balling up the paper with notes and tossing it on the desk. “I will need your signatures, lovebirds.”

I snatched the pen from his hand, writing my full name on the dotted line. Dorian sulked at me, looking like a four-year-old who was denied his favorite toy. I gave him the pen, smiling encouragingly, my index finger pointing at the line.

“Sign it,” I prompted, sensing a weird nervousness in the pit of my stomach. It went too well for my liking. Despite the initial trouble, it was quick and smooth. Something was about to fuck up.

Just when that thought crossed my mind, the explosion echoed downstairs. I flinched in fright, but before I could react, I was hauled into Lucas’s chest.

“They’re here,” he yelled, his terrifying words followed by Dorian’s excited laughter.

“They’re here!” he echoed, clapping his hands like a clown. He stuck his tongue out at me, and a joyful chuckle flew from his mouth.

“Fuck,” I hissed, distinguishing the quiet footsteps.

“Come.” Lucas tugged on my arm, pulling me to the last room. “I need you to trust me.”

“I trust you with my life,” I said without hesitation as the footsteps approached us. Smoke crawled across the floor like a poisonous snake, and dust fell on me from the ceiling.

“Then, God, help us.”

-18-

Dorian

Icouldn’t stop laughing. The whole situation made me crack up so much that my stomach and cheeks hurt. Why couldn’t they come a few minutes earlier?