Page 138 of Cruel Romeo

“Had enough, you fucking coward?!”

I drive my knee into his stomach and knock the air out of him. Then I grind his face into the wall until his nose makes the same sound his arm did.

He gurgles and sags, leaving behind a smear of blood, but I keep him skewered against the wall until the door bursts open.

The sound of boots and rushed voices fills the corridor before the door bursts open.

The two men I stationed outside shove inside, weapons drawn, eyes scanning. Kira is right behind them, her face pale and startled.

“What’s going on?” she blurts, eyes wide as she takes in the scene in front of her. “Petyr…?”

I don’t waste time with explanations.

My fist knots in the back of the intruder’s scrubs. I haul him to his feet like he weighs nothing. His legs wobble, but I shove him forward. “What’s going on is we have a fucking rat.”

My men catch him. One grips his shoulder; the other twists his arm behind his back.

I’m boiling over with fury. I’ve been angry plenty since the beginning of my reign, but never like this. Never like I could kill with looks alone.

He tried to hurt my brother.

He tried to murder him.

He’s gonna fucking pay.

I step in close, slam a fist into his gut, then cuff him across the jaw. His head jerks to the side.

“What were you doing here?” I snarl. “Who fucking sent you?!”

He wheezes and shakes his head. I grab a fistful of his scrubs and shove him against the wall again.

“Answer me, or I’ll carve it out of you right now.”

His only response is a strangled cough. Blood trickles from his split lip and ruined nose. He keeps his eyes averted, jaw locked, and refuses to speak.

My patience frays to nothing. My teeth grind.

Enough of this.

“Take him to the warehouse,” I bark. “I’ll get answers out of him myself.”

The men nod and drag the intruder out by the armpits. He whimpers, stumbles over his own feet, but they don’t slow.

The sound of their boots fades down the hall. When they’re gone, Kira presses a hand to her chest, her eyes wide on me. “Petyr, what?—”

“Not now.” My tone leaves no room for argument. I’m still staring at the spot where the syringe hit the ground, the tiny glint of metal in the fluorescent light. My jaw is tight enough to ache.

This was no random act. He was sent. And if I had to bet, I’d put everything on the Danilos.

My blood burns at the thought. The Danilos already took my father from me. They tried taking Dimitri twice now.

But I’ll get the truth out of that assassin. One way or another.

Kira sinks into the nearest chair, shaky, her face ashen. “He could have killed Dimitri,” she whispers weakly..

She’s right. My brother was seconds away from death. I should feel relief that he’s alright, but all I feel is the sting of failure that I let it come this close.

I’m supposed to be the one who keeps him safe. And tonight, I nearly lost him again.