Page 9 of Ashes

I glance at my mother and father. My father is grinning as he’s talking to one of the guests. I don’t even know many of the people who are here.

My mother smiles next to him, like a perfect little prop.

It’s nauseating.

Victor says something to his guards that I don’t catch because I’m too busy staring at my mother as she briefly catches my gaze and bows her head again.

Victor takes me outside, to the parking lot.

He lets go of my hand as he searches for his car keys in his pockets.

I slow down, falling behind him. When I glance around, the guards are too far away and going to their own cars.

No one’s watching.

I quickly lift my dress and pull the knife from its sheath.

My fingers tighten around the hilt, and I hurry after Victor.

I raise my hand, but Victor spins around so fast that my breath catches. His fingers curl around my wrist.

He tugs me to him, so my back ends up pressed against his front. His fingers squeeze my wrist so hard that I yelp, and my grip on the knife loosens.

He yanks it out of my hand.

Only a moment later, he has the knife pressed to my throat.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he hisses.

I grind my teeth together.

I failed.

I fucking failed.

But if Victor doesn’t kill me right now, there’ll be another opportunity.

I’ll find one.

For Alex.

Victor tosses away the knife, and then he grabs my wrists and captures them behind my back. I feel him tying something around them as I futilely struggle against him.

He squeezes it so tightly that I groan.

Is the silky but strong material his tie?

“Come, wife.” He drags me with him to the car.

I narrow my eyes at him as he shoves me into the back seat.

I’ll kill him, even if it’s the last thing I do.