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I just hope he doesn’t get the chance to kill me first.

Inessa

I rush home as fast as I can. Elena took her own car, so at least I don’t have to worry about her. I need to tell Viktor about what happened before he hears it from anyone else.

But when I run inside, I stumble to a halt when I see Connor in the foyer. Viktor is greeting him. Connor must have just gotten here right before me.

“What’s going on?” I ask, staring at Connor’s bloody, bruised face. I can’t help but feel a little happy at the sight. He deserved to get beat up.

“That’s what I want to know,” Viktor says. “Where were you? You told the guards that you were going out shopping but you’ve been gone for hours!”

Connor smirks. “Yes. Where were you, Inessa?”

I glare at him before turning to Viktor. “Can I talk to you in private?”

“In a moment. Connor, what did you want to tell me?”

“I found Matteo and Julia. Matteo did this to me. He tried to kill me but I managed to get away.”

“Where was he?”

“He was forcing Julia to marry him. It was a disgusting sight.”

I can see the moment Viktor believes Connor. In reality, he has no reason to not believe Connor.

“And there’s something else,” Connor continues. “In the process, Julia got hurt. Matteo shot her.”

“Is she dead?”

“No. But I had to leave before I could see what else happened. She might be dead for all I know. I am sorry, Viktor. I really did try. We have to kill that bastard for hurting Julia and forcing her to marry him.”

“Then get to it,” Viktor growls. “Go out there and find him. Now!”

“Yes. Of course.” Connor sneers at me as he walks to the door. “Oh, and Viktor. You might want to ask where your wife was today.” He leaves with a whistle.

It’s just me and Viktor. I’ve lied to him in the past but we were able to move on from that. And now I’ve lied to him again when I didn’t immediately tell him about Julia and Matteo’s secret affair.

I can’t lie to my husband anymore.

“I can’t fucking believe this,” Viktor growls. “Women were supposed to be off-limits. You and Julia were not supposed to get hurt.”

“Connor is lying to you.”

He stops and stares at me for a long moment. “Why do you say that?”

I just have to be fully honest with Viktor even though it’s going to hurt him. “Because I was there. At Julia and Matteo’s wedding.”

It takes Viktor a long moment to process what I just told him and when it hits him, it hits him hard. He rocks back on his heels and looks like he might pass out. My strong husband. I’ve never seen him look this weak before.

“Inessa, are you telling me you’ve betrayed me?”

“No. I’m telling you that Connor is a liar.

I… didn’t go out shopping. I did lie about that and I’m sorry.

I just wanted to see Elena. You know we’re best friends.

We decided to meet in secret an hour out of the city.

It was just to catch up, you know? Nothing dangerous.

Nothing complicit. I just wanted to see my friend after everything that has happened with Julia and…

Elena and I ran into Julia and Matteo in a park.

It was by accident. Matteo told me to turn off my phone, so I did.

I wasn’t sure if he would hurt me or not so I did as he told me.

“And, I’m sorry for that,” I continue. “But I then looked at Julia and Matteo and I saw it, Viktor. I saw it.”

“It?”

“Love. On both their faces.”

He scoffs. “What are you saying right now? I don’t understand.”

“You’ve always strived to protect Julia. I get it after everything you went through with your parents. It’s blinding you to the reality.”

“And that is?”

“Julia was tired of being a prisoner here.”

Viktor looks like I just slapped him. “I never treated her like a prisoner.”

“She was one. In a gilded cage, yes. But still a prisoner. She was not allowed to love who she wanted to love. She was not allowed to go anywhere without a guard. She was not allowed to truly live. And I know it was just because you wanted to protect her and she never blamed you for it.”

“How do you know all of this.”

“Because we talked!” I almost shout. “I listened to her. She met Matteo when he came over here and she liked him, so she started sneaking out to see him. And I wasn’t sure if he was using her or not but one thing was clear: she liked him.

Of her own accord. And she trusted him. And then I saw them together in that park and I knew.

Matteo was never using her. He loves her just as much as she loves him.

You don’t want to see it because you don’t want to admit that your sister could have done something like this.

That she could have gone behind your back.

That she could have fallen in love with the enemy.

That she could love someone other than her brother.

But she did all of that. And she asked me if I could be there at her and Matteo’s wedding.

So I said yes. And I’m not sorry for that. ”

Viktor is as frozen as a statue. It takes him a long time to move. When he does, he slowly approaches me. I know he won’t hurt me but I’m still worried over what he might do. Will he scream at me? Make me leave? Act cold?

Instead, he drops to his knees before me like all the energy has just been zapped from his body. “So what are you saying?”

“I was there at the wedding when Connor showed up. He tried shooting at Matteo and accidently shot Julia instead.”

He sucks in a breath and looks up at me. “You’re sure?”

“I saw it with my own eyes. I don’t think he meant to hurt Julia but he did. Matteo did not. You’re so convinced you want Matteo dead but you’ve never asked yourself what Julia wanted.”

“Julia’s not here for me to ask.”

“And she’s afraid to come home because she’s worried you’ll just lock her up again. Find her, Viktor, and when you do, don’t kill Matteo. Talk to Julia and get her side of things. Then proceed. But have all the information. Connor is lying to you.”

“Why would he do that?”

“Because he wants your power and he knows he’ll get that if he marries Julia. But trust me, Viktor. You don’t want him to marry Julia. Even if it’s not Matteo in the end, it can’t be Connor. He’s not good for her. Trust that, at least.”

“So, now I have to go kill the one man I tried to make an ally?”

“Maybe not. But Connor is out there, searching for Matteo and Julia right now, and I’m worried what he’ll do when he finds them.”

Viktor stands up with a groan. It reminds me that he’s approaching forty in a few years. This war is taking a toll on him. “How do I know all of this is the truth? You’ve lied to me before.”

I flinch. “I’m sorry. Don’t use that against me. Please. I’m telling you the truth now. Believe it.”

His eyes soften and he pulls me into his arms. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just tired.”

“I know. But you have to keep fighting. For Julia’s sake.”

“I will. Now I just have to find Julia, Matteo and Connor before something bad happens.”

For once, I feel hope that Viktor will do the right thing. That maybe, just maybe, we can have peace after all.

Matteo

Julia gets out of surgery and I’m allowed to go see her.

She’s asleep when I go into her hospital room. A breathing tube is in her nose. Her heart beat is steady on the monitor.

I remain at her side because that’s what a good husband does. Dante texts me, letting me know he killed the priest. Poor guy. He was an innocent in all of this but we couldn’t have him talking to the police.

I know Dante will handle the rest. I can trust him to do that, even though he doesn’t approve of what I’ve done. But if he could fall in love with the enemy, then so can I.

Julia blinks her eyes open.

“Julia?” I squeeze her hand and she turns her head to look at me. “Hey, you’re ok. You’re ok. You had a gunshot wound to your arm but you’re all better now. Let me go get the doctor.”

When I try to leave, she grips my hand tighter.

“I’ll call for them instead,” I say, motioning to the nurse button on the wall.

Within seconds, a nurse and the doctor come into the room and they explain to Julia what happened with her arm.

They test that she can still use her fingers (she can) and tell her that she’ll be fully healed within a few weeks but to rest her arm as much as possible.

Throughout it all, Julia doesn’t say a word.

When it’s just me and her in the room, she breaks down crying and I hold her in my arms, comforting her the entire time.

Once she finishes, she finally speaks. “I was so scared.”

“I told you I got you. I’ve always got you, baby.”

“I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“And I don’t know what I would do without you,” I admit. “But I’m here now. You’re safe. Once you’re feeling better, we can leave later today. We can go back home and just be together. A married couple.”

“Inessa and Elena? Are they ok?”

“I’m not sure. I know they made it out. I saw them get into their cars but other than that…”

“Right. And Connor?”

“He survived.” That motherfucker.

“We should go now. Connor might find us here.”

“You have to stay. The doctors don’t want you leaving yet. But I’ll go ask them when we can go. I’ll be back in a second.”

I leave the room and ask the nearest nurse I find when we can leave. She gives me a vague answer about having to wait for the doctor to sign off. So, we’re probably going to be here for a while.

And that’s when I see him.

Connor.

He’s down the hallway, looking into rooms as he passes them. He hasn’t spotted me yet.

I hurry back into Julia’s room and close the curtain so he can’t look inside. I also place the chair under the doorknob so he can’t open it.

“Change of plans,” I murmur. “Connor is here.”

“I told you he would come.”

“He knew you got shot. He must have come to the nearest hospital from the church.”

“But he won’t shoot you in a hospital full of people, will he?”

“I’m not sure but I’m not taking the chance. Especially with your life on the line. I will do whatever I can to save you.” I give her a passionate kiss just in case.

I unhook her breathing tube and IV and help her sit up. “Give me a moment.” I open the curtain and peek out the window. Connor is near the nurses station, asking them a question. Shit. Now is our only chance.

“Can you walk?” I ask her.

She tries to stand up but her legs are wobbly from the anesthesia she was just under.

“I’ll carry you.”

“But that will make more people look at us.”

“I don’t care. I just need to get you to safety right now.” I pick Julia up into my arms and open the door. Connor is still talking to a nurse and has his back to us.

I take off down the hallway in the opposite direction.

A nurse stops us. “Hey. She should be in bed, resting.”

“Uh, she had to use the restroom,” I lie.

“She has a bathroom in her room.”

“I’m sorry.” I brush past the nurse but only make it to the end of the hall when a security guard steps in my path.

Julia and I are stuck.