Page 81 of Final Installment

Her gaze softened.“You’re not a monster, Luka.”

“I’m not a saint either.”

“Neither am I,” she said quietly.

“I find that very hard to believe.”

Her mouth slanted in a sad smile.“If I told you the truth, you’d be disgusted with me.”

“I could never be disgusted with you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know,” he insisted.“Look at me, Elona.”He commanded her gaze and wouldn’t let her look away from him.“No matter what secret you have, I’ll accept it.I won’t judge you.”He exhaled tiredly.“I’m tired of judging.I’m tired of fighting.”

“So am I,” she agreed in a pained whisper.She swallowed hard.“I think if we’d had more time I could have fallen in love with you.”

His heart hammered against his sternum.“We’ll have more time.We’re getting out of this.Together.”

“Oh, Luka,” she said, her voice breaking and her eyes shimmering with tears.

“Elona.”Her name left his tongue on a desperate note.Trapped, wounded, separated.He wanted to hold her again, to console and comfort her.He wanted to protect and save her.

I really am the worst fucking failure.

He didn’t get to wallow in self-pity long.The door to their cabin was wrenched open, and another person was thrown into the room.As the man stumbled forward and landed on his knees, Luka recognized him.It was Skender—and he was badly beaten.

His face looked swollen and mushy.Both eyes were nearly shut, and his right ear had a large slice missing from the shell.His pale hair was dyed red with blood, some of it old and thick and black.His polo shirt was torn, revealing nasty burn marks up and down his chest.

“Skender!”Elona shouted for her brother and tried to reach him.She extended her bound hands as far as they would go but she couldn’t get to him.“Oh my god!Skender!”

He crawled and dragged himself toward his sister, leaving bloody smears on the cracked vinyl flooring.He couldn’t breathe through his nose so he sucked in labored lungfuls of air, spitting out droplets of blood with each desperate pull of oxygen.“Elona.”

“Come here.You’re okay.You’re going to be okay.”She used her bare feet to tug him closer.He collapsed on her lap, rolling on his side and groaning with exertion.“Skender, who hurt you?”

Luka eyed the closed door.Adrenaline surged through his body.“Is there anyone else on the boat?Your family?Mine?”

Skender sobbed pitifully.“I’m sorry, Elona.I didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

“It’s okay,” she cooed, forgiving him of whatever sin he had committed.“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.It’s not, and now we’re all going to die.”Skender’s whole body shook as he wept.“She lied to me.It was all a lie.”

“Who?Lia?”Elona asked, trying to make sense of her brother’s babbling.

“Who is Lia?”Luka demanded.

“His girlfriend,” Elona explained.

“No, not mine.His.”Ire burned in Skender’s voice.“It was him the whole time.”

“Him?Who?”Luka asked sharply.“Zec?Were you working with Zec?And your mother?And Your grandfather?”

Skender didn’t answer, and Luka growled in irritation.It had to be Zec.He was the only one brave enough to make this move.He was the only one who could wipeout two mafia families and emerge victorious and in power.He had enough contacts with the Russians and the other powerful organizations in their area to gain support and legitimacy.

That betrayal hurt.It cut at his heart.Slashed him deep.Zec was blood through his father’s side.He was family, and Luka had always respected him.Trusted him.Revered him.

Stupid.I was so fucking stupid not to see it.