Page 31 of His Prince (Unexpectedly Twisted #2)

29

MIKHAIL

I know that it’s not yet morning, based on the dark sky outside of the small, cloudy window I can see from my position on the floor. That means only a handful of hours have passed since I was taken. It feels longer than that—an eternity, especially with the chair back digging into my spine. And each minute that passes is like a dagger to my chest. I don’t know what Daniil and Mila have planned, but I’m almost sure they’re figuring out a way to apprehend Angel. To make me pay for what I did to Katarina.

Fuck, I didn’t even know she had any family still alive. I assumed they’d all been killed.

Not investigating it was ignorant of me. If I’d known, I could have foreseen this. Possibly. Although with how crafty Katarina was, there’s a good chance I’d never have known.

Now Angel is at risk.

At least Dima is with him. It’s a small comfort, knowing that he has some protection .

Gael was passed out when I found myself tipping over into unconsciousness.

I’m assuming Casey ingested the same thing and is incapacitated.

Fuck, I hope they’re alive.

I hope I make it out of here to apologize for my lack of foresight. To promise to be a better boss. To put more effort into this business and to protect those who work under me. And protect my husband at all costs.

A groan escapes me, my face and chest throbbing, from the pain and from the ultimate act of utter betrayal. Daniil got me so fucking good. I never thought he was much of a fighter, but it seems he’s improved his skills over the years. He’s done a lot without me knowing apparently.

Like fucking my wife. Falling in love with her.

The door swings open with a bang, and I hear Daniil speaking in Russian to someone. A woman. Perhaps this is Katarina’s sister.

I want to meet her.

I want to look her in the eyes.

“Pull him up. I want to see him,” the woman spits, and Daniil and one of the guards from dinner set me upright, making me grunt as I face her.

She’s a spitting image of Katarina—same hair, same eyes. It’s almost like the ghost of her looking back at me. I feel my skin grow clammy and my heart rate increase.

Was this who I saw lurking around my property when I thought I was going insane? When I thought I saw Katarina staring at me from the gardens? When I heard the scratching in the walls?

“Was it you in my house?” I ask.

“Yes, it was me,” she replies. “I’ve been watching you, Mikhail.”

She spits my name out like a poison, and despite the clenching of my stomach, I manage a small smile.

“Well, we should have met sooner. I can’t wait to slit your throat like I did your sister. ”

Her boot connects with my shin, and I grunt as pain slices up my leg.

“Not if I cut yours first. Perhaps I’ll start with your eyes.”

I narrow them, not wanting her to actually pluck my orbs from my head. I’d love to still be able to see when I leave this place.

“I’d rather see you while I kill you,” I reply, and that pushes her over the edge. She reaches out and cuts off my oxygen with her slim hand. Her touch is so much like Katarina’s, flashbacks pulsing through my mind as I remember the way she used to hold me, rubbing her hands down my chest, the way she’d cup my cheeks as she kissed me.

All of it is so vile now.

I never want to think of her again.

But Mila doesn’t let me forget. She lets go and then paces in front of me, her hands flying wildly. “Do you know what my life was like after you murdered her? My life was hell in Russia without her, without my family. Everything was taken from me. For years, I lived in poverty. I had to sell all my belongings just for a ticket to come here to find Daniil. To find you.”

“I don’t fucking care about your sob story.”

She kicks me again and I grunt, pain sluicing up my shin and into my thigh.

“You should! You should care that you destroyed an entire family, an entire bloodline.”

“It’s what you deserve, what she deserved.”

“Shut up! Shut the fuck up! We didn’t. We deserved none of it. We were only trying to survive.”

“Katarina was a con artist and a murderer. She had to have known who she was marrying. If she loved you, she would have stayed far away from me.”

Mila’s mouth drops open, processing that, and how true my words ring, but then her face hardens.

“The way I had to crawl up from nothing. To put myself back together, all alone. I wouldn’t have had to do that if you hadn’t killed her. If your vile family hadn’t had my parents murdered. But I have nothing. I have no one.”

“She brought it on herself. And so did you. You won’t make it out of here alive.”

She reaches out and clutches my throat tightly once again.

“I have wanted revenge from the moment I knew your name. And I’ll get it. I’ll fucking die if it gets me what I need.”

My vision starts to white out but then she suddenly releases my throat. I suck in air, my eyes meeting Daniil, who is pulling her away, whispering something into her ear and making her cheeks redden.

“I don’t want any explanation. I just want revenge, Daniil. I’ve been waiting years for this.”

“Mila,” he begins, but she ignores him, coming at me, her fingernails clawing down my face. Blood seeps from my pierced skin, and I bite back a groan.

I refuse to show weakness. Refuse.

“You deserve to die slowly. And like Daniil told you, we’re going to find your little Angel and make him pay. Just like my sister did. And once that’s done, we’re going to dismantle everything your family has worked for. Dollar by dollar. There will be no more Ivanov name to be remembered when I’m done with you.”

Out of all of that, the thought of my sweet Angel in their hands hurts the most. But I can’t let it affect me. I can’t show them any weakness. I already did with Daniil and I refuse to do it again. They can’t know how much I love him.

I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love him.

And if I’m honest, I’ve felt this way for months. I just didn’t have the courage to admit it to myself. I never let myself feel as much, but deep down, I know I’ve loved him from the very start.

The way he looks at me.

The way he tastes. The way he makes me feel.

He’s perfect.

I won’t let anyone hurt him .

My eyelids flicker open, and I feel my cheeks wet with blood and tears.

“You underestimate him,” I say, my voice a rasp. “You underestimate my little devil.”

Mila cocks her head and scoffs. “Your little devil is no match for us.”

“You have no idea,” I reply and then smile as her hand slaps my face, my nose spurting blood.

“Shut up! Shut up! ”

“If I don’t get to you first, he will. He’ll rip you apart. You don’t know him. You have no idea how he makes people love him. They’d follow him to the grave.”

She swings her hand back to slap me, and I grin at her. “So unlike your sister. She was nothing like him. He is a hundred times better.”

Before her hand can strike me, we hear gunshots and pounding feet above, shrieks and shouts.

“Fuck!” Daniil grunts as he tries to pull Mila away from me, but she refuses to leave, wrenching her arm away and pulling a gun from her jacket. She points it right at my head.

“I’m going to make him pay. I’m going to fucking end him!”

Her eyes are wild, her cheeks splotchy, and I just stare at her as chaos erupts above us.

In my heart, I know it’s him, and he’s brought reinforcements. My heart has never been so proud. My little Angel, my little devil.

He’s bringing the entire Earth to heel.

He’s making them bow down.

A smile quirks up my lips.

My prince.

Mila’s gun cocks, my fate sealed at this moment. But before she can fire it, the door bursts open and Dima appears, flanked by Angel and an old lady wearing a floral dress, a machine gun in her hands.

“Vera?” Daniil asks, but he’s cut off by the old woman shooting at him—missing, but making a point all the same .

“You messed up in the wrong city, Daniil,” Vera says and shakes her head, almost disappointed.

But I barely notice her. My eyes are on my husband. This beautiful man, who looks like an avenging angel come to save me. His eyes flash to mine and his nostrils flare in anger.

“You hurt him,” he growls, not even hesitating as he makes his way toward me. “You hurt Mikhail.”

Fear pulses through me as Mila swings the gun from me to him. She’s going to kill him, she’s going to fucking kill?—

“Don’t!” I shout, but Angel doesn’t even hesitate.

“Do you know who I am? Do you fucking know?” he growls, his eyes narrowed. He looks so beautiful, he positively glows.

Mila opens her mouth to respond, but he doesn’t allow it. He just lifts his gun and without warning, he shoots her. Half of her face explodes from the bullet, her body crumpling to the ground. Blood pours from her wound as the sound of Daniil’s cries echoes around the room. I see Daniil fall to his knees, Mila cradled in his arms as if cradling a lover, but Angel isn’t moved by the scene. He just stalks toward them and holds the gun up to Daniil’s head.

“I’m Angel Ivanov.”

Daniil pulls out his gun and points it at me, a shot ringing out, but Angel doesn’t hesitate. He pulls the trigger and Daniil’s skull opens up, red spilling onto the floor as his body slumps.

It’s then that I feel it, the searing pain.

“Fuck!” I grunt as Angel rushes toward me, his eyes wide, his face pale.

“Oh my god. He shot you. Mikhail! He got you. I should have waited. I shouldn’t have come on so strong?—”

I gasp as his fingers press against the wound on the right side of my chest.

“Angel,” I rasp just as Dima shouts that there’s a fire.

It’s chaos, the sounds of gunfire still resonating above, the smell of smoke suffocating in the small space, but all I can see is him .

I can feel myself slipping away and I’m content now that I’m near him.

“Cut him loose!” Angel screams and moments later, my hands and legs are free from their confines, but I can’t feel them. I can’t feel anything as I’m pulled into Angel’s arms, tears leaking from his beautiful eyes.

“Don’t cry,” I say as the smoke thickens. “I’m glad you’re safe. My avenging angel. You were so brave.”

“Mikhail,” he sobs, his hand pressing roughly to my wound. “Don’t talk like you’re dying. Don’t speak, just breathe. Don’t?—”

“But I vowed to love you, protect you…” I gasp, trying to get my words out.

“…murder for you,” he adds with a sob.

“You did, my little Angel. You murdered them.”

If I could feel anything more than searing pain, I would feel immense pride.

“They tried to take you from me,” he gasps, tears leaking down his cheeks. “I didn’t protect you though. I failed.”

“No, you were perfect. You are always so perfect.”

And he is. My perfect little devil, my Angel. My husband.

He sobs louder, his fingers digging further into my chest, trying to stem the blood. He’s always trying to save me, but doesn’t he know? He already has.

He’s pulled me out of my darkness and let me experience what true love is.

I’ve never had that. Never. But now I have. He’s given it to me, selfless and unknowingly, but he gave it to me as a gift.

And I relished it.

Dima appears over his shoulder. “We need to get out of here before the place burns down.”

“We can’t leave him. He’s bleeding out! We need to save him.”

Dima shakes his head and then shouts. “We can’t save him if we’re all dead. Go! Let me carry him. We have to leave!”

I’m jostled painfully into Dima’s arms and pass out as he drags me to the SUV. I only wake when I’m back in my husband’s arms, his quiet sobs more raw than the wound in my open chest. We drive away from the carnage, pain radiating through my entire body, and the only thing that drags me back to the living is his voice. Broken, destroyed, and so full of grief.

“Please don’t go, Mikhail. I want to share my life with you, good times and bad.”

I don’t want to leave. I don’t fucking want to go, not when I’ve just found him. My heart.

“I’m yours, my love, and you’re mine. My breath, my heart,” I gasp, my words wet with blood and barely audible.

“You’re mine forever, Mikhail. Please don’t leave me.”

I open my mouth to tell him that I love him, that I’ll fight for more of this, but before I can, everything goes numb, my vision turns a dark shade of obsidian, and I feel the faintest pull of my spirit before I feel nothing.