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She was going to run again.

I wasn't about to let her get away from me this time.

It didn't matter how many games of Durak I won, I would never live a second escape from me down.

"I wasn't asking." My warning clear.

Her sweet lips parted as she took another step away from me. "I don't want?—"

Her words fell silent when she turned to look at me and saw the anger in my eyes.

"Don't argue with me," I said, before she could refuse again.

The curtain to the champagne room ripped open and the sleazy manager, Lou something, stormed into the tiny room.

"Alina, where the fuck have you been? The guests need to see your sweet ass out?—"

I barely turned my head before pulling my gun and leveling it at the sweaty, obese rat bastard. The click of the safety was deafening in the cramped space, even with the muffled bass from the music playing on the stage.

Her boss's face drained of color as he skidded to a halt.

"Fuck off," I said.

The man raised his hands, his eyes darting between Alina and me. "I was just looking for?—"

"I'm coming right out," Alina said.

The fuck she was.

My thumb pressed against the hammer, sliding it back with another audible click, and his words died in his throat.

"Go serve them yourself or find someone else. Alina no longer works for you."

"Wait, no. I'm coming right out, Lou, I promise. Everything is okay."

I didn't know if she was trying to convince him of that, or herself. Either way, she was very wrong.

"I. Said. Fuck. Off," I repeated, aiming the gun at a new spot with every word.

He shook as I started at a kneecap, then his groin, then his heart, before landing on his head.

Lou's eyes went wide, and a dark stain appeared on his pants as he stared directly into my gun. Jesus, he was pathetic.

"Now," I added.

He opened his lips to say something, then thought better of it. He practically tripped over himself as he turned to run, pawing the curtain back and forth in a struggle to find the opening.

Despite Alina's wide-eyed protests, he was gone, and now it was just the two of us.

"Please. You don't have to do this."

I tilted my head, looking at her still not wearing the jacket I had offered. I pressed it toward her again and this time she took it, her hands shaking as she wrapped it around herself.

"What exactly do you think I'm doing?"

Her throat bobbed, and she pulled the lapels closer together to cover her body.

I gave her a slow, deliberate once-over.