Page 59 of His Darkest Obsession (Baryshev Bratva #1)

She extends her hand, and Grisha starts rummaging through her purse. A few seconds later, he pulls out a small orange box, and places it in Lola's hand.

Her green eyes drill into mine, and I can practically taste the malice dripping from them as she shakes the box in front of me.

"You recognize this, don't you?"

My blood turns to ice when I see what it is. I do recognize it.

Mifeprex.

The last time I saw it was two years ago.

It's the same abortion pill that Grant Bennet forced me to take to hide his crimes.

"No," I whisper, then louder. "No! You can't!"

I thrash wildly, but it's useless. Lola presses her weight against me, opens the box, and pops out a single pill.

"Open your mouth, Amelia," Lola demands, her eyes glittering with malice.

I keep my lips pressed tight together, shaking my head furiously. I can't let this happen. Not again. Not to this baby. Our baby.

Lola's face twists with rage. She leans in close, her breath hot against my ear. "Open your mouth, you stupid bitch, or I swear to God I will beat that bastard in your belly to death with my own two hands."

I freeze at those words. The cold certainty in her eyes tells me she's not bluffing.

She means exactly what she says.

My jaw trembles as I slowly part my lips.

"Good girl."

She pushes the pill between my teeth, and then clamps her hand down over my mouth to keep it shut.

"Now, listen to me carefully," she speaks with deliberate slowness as I feel the pill starting to dissolve. "Because you've been such a good girl, I'll give you a choice. Nod if you understand."

I nod desperately. Please just tell me! Please don't kill my baby! Please!

She smiles. "Option one: you leave. Today. You never contact Anatoly again. I marry him as intended. Your sister Amara can even stay at the mansion, alive and unspoiled. And as a special favor, I'll even let you keep the baby that should've been mine."

Saliva begins gathering in my mouth as the pill dissolves faster.

"Option two," she continues, dragging out each syllable as she speaks. "You don't leave. I kill the bastard, sell your pretty little sister to monsters, and make you watch while they take her innocence. And then I kill you both."

You bitch! You evil fucking bitch!

"What will it be, Amelia?" she asks. "Nod for option one. Shake your head for option two."

The pill is almost completely gone now. And I can feel the first drops of my saliva leaking down my throat.

She's forcing me to re-experience the worst moment of my life—the moment when all my choices are being stripped away and I'm left powerless to protect what I love.

But that's not true, is it?

I can save Amara. I can save my baby.

I just have to giving up the man I love.

Give up everything I've found in these weeks.

Tears stream down my face as I close my eyes.

He was going to tell me he loved me, and I didn't let him.

But it's too late now to regret things that should've been, and without any other choice left, I do the only thing I can to save as many lives as I can.

I nod.

Lola lets go.

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

I immediately turn and spit everything in my mouth out onto the floor of the SUV.

I spit again and again, desperate to get every last trace out of my mouth, my tongue scraping against my teeth until there's nothing left but the bitter aftertaste.

My mouth has gone completely dry. Lola and Grisha watch me, their faces twisting with amusement.

And then they start laughing at my panic, and at what they almost did to me.

"Your ring, bitch," Lola demands, extending her palm toward me.

I clutch my left hand to my chest. "Please—"

"That doesn't belong to you." Her voice hardens. "Not anymore."

With trembling fingers, I slide the gold band off my finger.

I stare at it for one final moment before dropping it into Lola's waiting hand.

This ring that has come to represent everything from our twisted beginning, to the real love that we stumbled into, and the glimmer of a hope for a future.

Gone.

Just like that.

She examines it with cold satisfaction before slipping it onto her finger, gives them a wiggle, and holds it up against the light.

The SUV slows to a stop, and I realize we're at the Harlem 125th Street train station. People hurry past outside, oblivious to what's happening just feet away from them.

"We're done here," Lola says flatly. "It’s time for you to leave."

"Where should I go?" My voice sounds raspy and small.

Lola's eyes narrow. "I don't care where you go, shlyukha. All that matters is that you leave and never come back." She turns to Grisha, who’s already stepping out onto the sidewalk. "Make sure she gets on a train."

The door beside me suddenly swings open. Grisha's hand clamps around my arm, and yanks me roughly onto the sidewalk.

"Wait!" I call back to Lola. "My sister! You promise she won't be harmed?"

Lola’s lips curl into a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "I don’t recall promising you a damn thing."

END OF BOOK 1