Page 86 of Stolen Empire

But there is none and I feel trapped.

Just how far am I willing to go for Dimitri?

It's not like we mean anything to each other, right?

I could cut and run right now.

I have my mother's pendant.

I could take this money Daniil paid me and get a bus out of town, go back to Perm.

"Do it," he says.

"I told you I don’t use drugs."

If my heart doesn't explode in the next five seconds, I'll be shocked.

It's racing so fast, I'm getting dizzy.

"And I told you this is not optional."

He reaches behind his back, pulling out a gun.

He doesn’t aim it at me.

He just sets it on the table beside the mirror.

"Do it. Or I will assume you are lying about everything else too."

My blood turns cold.

The gun sits there between us while I'm ready to piss myself.

I look around the room.

Two other men are seated near the door.

They're watching us.

Watching me.

There's no fucking way out of this.

It's crossed beyond how I can help Dimitri and I'm firmly in the "save my own life" territory.

He's literally going to kill me if I don't snort this blow.

I lean forward, my hands braced on the table.

I can feel Daniil's eyes on me, waiting. I pick up the mirror, bring it closer.

"I need a tube," I say, hating how my voice shakes.

I'm lucky the damn mirror doesn't shake right out of my grasp.

Daniil hands me a rolled-up bill.

I take it, but my fingers are numb.