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He’s alone.

Bleeding out.

And it’s all my fault.

What if he’s lying somewhere hurt or dying or worse because I made him call off the wedding instead of letting him sort it out?

That keeps rotating in my head, too.

I made him call it off and now…

What if he’s hurt or dead because of me?

And I know if something’s happened, I’m never going to forgive myself.

Ever.

Chapter Thirty

DEMYAN

I’m still waitingon the rest of the backup. And I’m waiting to see what Sergio’s going to do. I can’t kill him. Not until I know Erin’s safe, and Pavel, who went to contact Ilya, the only other person with Erin’s number, hasn’t come back in.

Whatever he has to say is only for me and if she’s dead or hurt, I have to believe I’d be told.

“Marry her and this will be over.”

“Shut your mouth and maybe I won’t shoot you.” I eye Sergio. “How do I know you didn’t text for backup or to have her killed?”

“Trust?”

This time I laugh. It’s a strange sort of standoff, but something’s off here. His daughter’s in the other room, but I don’t worry about her. There’s a gun trained on that door. And my gun’s on Sergio.

Alek is pointing his gun at Rocco.

“I’d never trust you. How about this. Put Erin on speaker and we’ll take it from there.”

He hesitates.

Sergio texted, didn’t call. So is he bluffing? Or did my girl lose his men?

“Call, or is it that you can’t?” I ask softly. “Take his phone, Ivan.”

Ivan steps forward as Sergio’s gaze darts toward him. “Touch this and I won’t send the next arranged signal.”

My chest tightens. Fuck, I can’t risk it.

“Call your daughter out.”

The avarice in his eyes leaps. “She’ll be out any minute. When the time lock ends.”

Did he lock her in? Then again, it’s an actual panic or safe room. So it might be time locked. I really don’t care except, I don’t want a whole bunch of men to jump out.

“Shoot to kill when the door opens,” I order.

Now the avarice turns to panic, and he stares at me. “She’s unarmed, there’s her and the celebrant in there.”

That I believe, but I don’t change the order.