Page 16 of Darkest Desire

“What will it be, Sasha?” he asks in his handsome, calming voice.

I know what it has to be. I have to marry Nico or my sisters will suffer.

“I do,” I say through gritted teeth.

“What was that?” Nico asks, clearly mocking me. His smile gives away that he heard me just fine.

“I do,” I snap. “I’ll marry you.” I turn to the priest. “I’ll marry him.”

The priest nods with no other emotion on his face. “Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Nico takes my face in his hands. His touch makes me blush even more. I was never one for being shy but around Nico, Ican’t help but be a little self-conscious over the way I look. Every feature on my face feels like it’s on display.

Nico smirks a little right before his lips find mine.

The kiss lasts just a moment before the church doors burst open, ripping me and Nico apart.

Mikhail storms inside with a few of his men. None of them shoot, I notice. It must be for me and my family’s benefit. Natalya must have told him to be careful.

“Ah, Mikhail,” Nico smiles widely, even though he’s clearly pissed to see Mikhail. My brother-in-law did shoot Nico clean in the back. That was in a church a lot like this one.

“Nico. Hand over Sasha and no one has to get hurt.”

“I see. But you see, Sasha and I officially married. She is mine. So if you take her, you’ll be stealing from me and I won’t appreciate that.”

Mikhail’s men have their guns locked onto Nico’s men. No one moves except Mikhail, who slowly approaches me. “Sasha, come with me. Nico, do not make a move. I will shoot you.”

“Then shoot me. Oh, wait. We already established that you can’t. Can’t risk hurting your wife’s precious sisters, can you?”

“Sasha.” Mikhail holds his hand out. “Come to me. I’ll get you to safety. You won’t have to be married to him.”

Without even thinking about it, I grab Mikhail’s hand and let him pull me away. Nico’s smile morphs into a sneer.

“Let’s go.” Mikhail tugs me along the aisle, still keeping his gun trained on Nico.

“You’re going to play the white night to Sasha?” Nico calls out. “What about the rest of her family?” He nods to them. It’s then that I notice Denis is behind them, cowering, so he can’t get shot. “Can you save them too?”

Mikhail looks between me and my sisters and hesitates.

“Let’s face it, Mikhail, you can’t save Sasha and her family at the same time. It’s one or the other.”

“You have to save my sisters,” I tell him. “You have to.”

“But if I don’t save you right now, you’ll be stuck with Nico forever. Your sisters have time before they’ll be married off. I’m saving you, Sasha. Let’s go.”

“Sasha!” Ana calls out. Knowing I’m leaving my baby sister behind is soul crushing. She may be sixteen now but she’ll always be the baby of the family.

I want to run to her, comfort her, protect her. “Denis will hurt them if I go.”

“You don’t have a choice. It’s either marry Nico or come with me right now.”

I hate to choose. My eyes fall on Nico, who’s glaring at Mikhail. I could sacrifice myself to save my sisters but… can I actually save them in the long run?

If I go with Mikhail, maybe I can help get them back.

But that’s what Natalya said and she was never able to save us.

Before I can make my choice, Nico whips out his gun and starts firing in Mikhail’s direction. Mikhail runs out of the church, tugging me along.