Page 141 of Brutal Reign

“Not a chance.” My gaze never leaves Simon. “Kin’s safe with Maxim. Now stay down, angel moy, and let me finish off this disgusting piece of garbage.”

She sags in relief, tipping her head back and closing her eyes.

“Backup! Where’s my fucking backup?” he screams into his radio, calling for help that won’t come.

“It’s funny you think there’s anyone left to save you,” I remark, slowly walking toward him.

He turns to me, his face twisted with pain and rage. “You think you’ve won? I have men positioned?—”

My fist connects with his jaw, cutting him off. “The only thing you have left is seconds to breathe. My men eliminated everyone. When you radioed your men… that was us.”

Simon lunges at me, and we collide in the narrow aisle. He’s badly injured, but it doesn’t stop him. When he swings wildly, I deflect the blow, burying my knee in his ribs. Bones crack under the impact, and he doubles over, gasping for air.

“This is for what you did to my wife,” I snarl, slamming him against the cabin wall. My next punch lands square in his solar plexus, doubling him over. “This is for threatening my son’s life. Did you hear that, you piece of shit? My son.”

The revelation still rocks me. That sweet, brilliant boy belongs to me. The knowledge makes my love for him even fiercer, if that’s possible.

I slam my fist into Simon’s face—a single, brutal blow, releasing only a fraction of my rage.

A red stream sprays out of his nose, and Simon tries to fight back, but his injured arm makes him clumsy. I could end him right now, but he deserves to suffer.

“Hope, look away,” I call over my shoulder. “This won’t be pretty.”

I glance back, expecting her eyes to be closed, but she watches every blow with stoic resolve.

I’m methodical, each strike designed to cause maximum pain without ending him too quickly. Simon manages to land a wild punch to my ribs. He’s trained, I’ll give him that, but his pain makes him sloppy.

“Want to know how your father died?” I growl. “I shot him in both feet and made him crawl through his own blood until he collapsed, all life drained from him.”

“Fuck you,” Simon gasps, staggering backward.

I laugh, driving my fist into his kidneys. “It was one thing when you came after the Syndicate, but the moment you threatened my family, you signed your death warrant. Your sins have earned you a place in hell.”

Simon rallies for one final assault, throwing everything he has left at me. He’s frantic, cornered, fighting for his life, but his panic makes him reckless. I sidestep his charge and drive my elbow into his spine, dropping him to his knees.

The cabin falls silent except for Simon’s labored breathing. I grab him by the throat and drag his broken body across the aisle toward Hope.

“Angel moy,” I say, pulling my knife to cut through her restraints. “Do you want to finish him? His death is yours if you want it.”

Hope looks down at Simon, broken and bleeding at her feet, and slowly shakes her head. “He’s not worth getting my hands dirty.”

Simon’s eyes crack open, and he spits blood. “Still the Russian’s whore, I see. Your father would be ashamed.”

“Don’t you dare bring up my father,” she snaps, venom dripping from her words. “I’d rather be Pavel’s whore than your wife.” With that, her gaze flicks to mine. “Actually, I’ve changed my mind. Let me finish him.”

I step back and hand her my knife. This kill belongs to her. “Go for the jugular,” I instruct.

“This is for my father, you fucking parasite.” She draws the blade across his throat in one swift motion.

Simon’s eyes go wide before the life fades from them completely.

I step over his body and pull Hope into my arms, feeling her heartbeat against me. For the first time since this nightmare began, I can finally breathe.

“I thought you were dead,” she whispers. “When I heard those gunshots, when I believed he’d killed you and Kin, it was the worst moment of my life.”

The thought of her believing, even for a moment, that anything could separate us makes something possessive surge in my chest. I cup her face in my bloodied hands.

“Never,” I say fiercely. “He never had a chance against me. But I had to get our son somewhere safe before I could make Simon pay. I’m sorry I scared you like that.”