Page 112 of Reign of a Billionaire

I was drawn to his heart, his every broken piece.

Her eyes flicked to my bracelet and her shoulders slumped. “He might be the right man for you, but it’s the wrong time. Same with this escape plan.”

I hugged her tightly. “There’s no right time for anything in this life. We have to make it, grab it, and seize our own happiness, even if we have to lie, steal, and cheat.”

Then, I turned around and left my twin behind without another glance, not doubting for a second that I’d see her again.

“Sunshine, I promise.” Kingston was restless. Our time was running out. “We’ll come back for her, but unless we leave now, we won’t make it.”

I didn’t want to leave my twin behind, but I knew Kingston was right. They didn’t call him Ghost for nothing. Nobody matched his skill when it came to disappearing, hunting, and ending a target.

“Okay,” I agreed. My twin was my other half. Leaving without her was like leaving part of myself behind.

His hand gripped mine, squeezing in understanding.

Then we ran.

Our feet sunk into the thick layers of snow as the castle, that caused all of our nightmares, disappeared behind us. I stumbled, falling to my knees, but Kingston’s firm grip quickly yanked me up.

The sky was gloomy, nearly invisible as snow descended from the skies above. The heavier it fell, the less likely they’d be to track our footprints. The sharp, crisp air felt like a whip against my face. The air fogged around us with every exhale as we raced hand in hand, the Siberian landscape swallowing us whole.

“Almost there,” Kingston urged, sensing my fatigue. He was in excellent shape; he had to be to survive here. Unlike me.

Each breath split my chest in half.

The wind wailed, bringing with it the dreaded barking of Ivan’s dogs. I sent up a prayer that maybe he’d set Puma on our trail. She wouldn’t hurt Kingston or me. She was the best dog out of all his vicious animals.

“Kingston,” I cried, snowflakes piling onto my eyelashes and wind biting my cheeks. “I’m… I’m… Leave me behind. I’m slowing you… d-down.”

My chest heaved and I trembled as I let out silent sobs into the night.

“No, we do this together. Keep running, Lou. We’re almost?—”

He never finished the statement.

Bang.

A single shot was all it took for Kingston’s body to drop and begin to jerk in slow motion. I stumbled face-first into the snow, my fingers gripping his hand. I lifted my head to find ruby-red snow stacked around Kingston’s body.

My world came crashing down as an animalistic scream tore from my lungs and the world titled on its axis.

I woke up bruised and battered in the basement of our castle where Mother tortured all the innocents. Made them killers. We’d endured hours and hours of beating; I didn’t know how much more I could take before I broke.

My eyes flicked to Kingston, who was unconscious next to me. I stared at his chest, watching for any sign of life. Was he breathing? It was hard to focus with how mangled he looked.

“You disappoint me, Louisa.” Mother’s voice pulled me to where she stood across the room, her hair in a perfect updo and her fur coat unsullied. But it was her face, twisted with anger, that held my attention. Her heels clicked, a countdown to my doom, as she made her way to me, an iPad in her hand. “Look at what you’ve done.”

An image stared back at me and I blinked a few times. Then she pressed the Play button and the video started.

I thrashed and pulled at my chains, shouting until my throat turned raw and blood trickled from the corner of my mind. I finally managed to slump away from my mother and throw up all over the dirty ground. The images swam behind my eyes when I was finally able to close them, and I wished it were me—that I had been the one on the screen.

Unconsciousness pulled me under.

When I woke up, my Kingston wasn’t with me.

I blinked, disoriented and dizzy as I glanced around the sterile room. It was empty and bright. The only decor was a flat-screen television in the far corner. I moved to rub at my temples when I realized I was strapped to a chair, my feet and wrists bound by special leather belts.

I was terrified, fear clawing up my throat. My heart sped into overdrive.