Page 66 of King of Malice

“Will he physically attack?” Gris asks.

Dimitri pauses. “In the past, his moves against me have been more…tactical, in that they are meant to manipulate.”

“He’s been holding your sisters hostage and then he tried to what… Why have Ava pushed into The Hunt?” Luke asks.

I lift my head to look at him, considering. It’s a good question.

“I…” Dimitri’s hand fists in my shirt. “To test my commitment to her.”

Gris makes a low growl in his throat. “And what you proved today was that?—”

“I’d kill for her.”

That makes my head snap up, my eyes going wide as I look up at Dimitri’s chiseled jaw. “What does that mean?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

But his other arm is around me as he lifts me off the ground. “Gris. I need you to get Ava out of here. I’ve made a mistake?—”

A red dot appears on the wall behind us.

“Everyone down,” Tazz barks out, pushing Dimitri with me in hisarms. We crash to the ground, Dimitri twisting so that he lands hard on his shoulder, protecting my body from the fall.

A second later, shots ring out, a high-powered rifle littering the walls and ceiling with bullets. I don’t even have time to register the fear, as Dimitri covers me, protecting my body with his.

It goes on and on, lasting for what feels like forever. My hands cover my ears as I shrink deeper into his protection.

He rolls on top of me, his hands coming to my ears too.

I sob into his shirt, squeezing him until my entire body aches.

The noise stops as suddenly as it started. I only have one second to relax into the silence before the tension of not knowing what will happen next hits full force.

“Dimitri,” a man’s deep and familiar baritone calls from outside. It lacks Dimitri’s honey, but I know it’s his father without being told.

“Otets,” Dimitri replies. “To what do we owe this pleasure?” He doesn’t get up. If anything, his grip around me tightens.

“You know very well.” I practically hear the sneer in his heavily accented voice.

“I’m not sure I do,” Dimitri answers as he slowly releases me. He sits up, but as I go to follow, he holds his hand out to stop me.

“You’re selling a lot of real estate, son.”

“Not yours. Only mine.” Dimitri’s hand splays out on my belly, before he looks over at Gris who is slowly sitting up.

Gris nods and then crawls over to us. Dimitri stands as Gris blocks my body.

“You know very well that you made the money to buy them from my business.”

“No. My business. My payment for running your casino,” Dimitri rolls his shoulders out.

“Everything in this family is mine, Dimitri. You know that very well.”

“I do.” Dimitri takes a step forward, toward the doorway. “Shall we discuss terms?”

“What makes you think there are terms?” is his father’s reply.

“I assume, if you don’t want me to continue with the sale of the three properties, you’re here to offer an alternative?”

“No alternative. Don’t sell them or you’ll never see your sisters again. Have I not been clear?”