Page 100 of Like An Animal

“Oh, yeah? And what about Charlotte?”

“She’ll be safe with her father. You’re the problem, Bronwyn. You always have been. A nasty thorn in my side and now you’ll disappear from our lives forever. They can do whatever they please with you as long as you are out of this family.”

What the fuck did I ever do to him to make him hate me this much? This can’t just be because I killed Kathy. There has to be more to it.

I want to know, but I doubt I will ever find out.

CHAPTER 41

THE GHOST

“Go,” Massimo pushes firmly as Tobias and Alex stand beside him, slowly backing up toward the front door of the mansion.

My pulse pounds so hard in my ears I can barely breathe.

“What?” Massimo turns to me and takes my face in his hands, his eyes full of panic.

“Go. Remember where I told you to run to. Once you’re safe, call Jeremy for backup. We’ll hold them off.” He pulls out his gun as Tobias and Alex do the same.

“What about you?”

I don’t think my heart could take it if something happened to him while I was hidden away.

“Don’t worry about anyone but yourself, sokrovishche. Go now!”

My brain says for me to run, but my heart begs me to stay. I know what the smart thing is, though. It just hurts to do it.

Turning on my heels, I run inside to see a woman dusting and she looks confused. “Hide!” I demand before following the directions Massimo gave me. I dart to the first hall I come to before running down to the last room. It’s a massive bedroom made up exactly like mine and Jeremy’s room at the compound.

Massimo said the panic room was in the closet.

Closet.

I run for the double door that must lead to the closet but I just see a wall of clothes. What? Massimo said it was in here.

I push the clothes to the side and see a metal door hidden behind them. I let out a relieved breath before I hear the sound of a gunshot. I search for the keypad and find it behind a bunch of suits.

I put in my birthday and the door opens on its own, swinging into the room. I slip under the clothes before finding myself in a small room with fiberglass floors and walls. I quickly close the door and make sure the locking mechanism engages before pulling out Massimo’s phone from my pocket.

The next thing he told me to do was to call Jeremy.

I find his contact and click the call button before putting it to my ear.

“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” I whisper to myself hurriedly.

“What’s the update, Max?” My husband answers and I sigh.

“Jer.”

He’s silent for a moment before he seems to understand why I would be calling him from Massimo’s phone.

“Baby, what’s going on?”

Tears fall down my face as I try to remain calm. Getting hysterical right now won’t help anyone.

“Dimitri betrayed us. He called The Fathers and they’re here. Max sent me into the panic room. Him, Tobias, and Alex are trying to hold them off.”

“God-fucking-dammit!” Jeremy curses. “Where’s Charlotte?”