Page 25 of The Pakhan’s Arranged Bride (West Coast Bratva Pakhans #2)

Panic surges and I try again to fight him, but this only angers him more.

“For fuck’s sake, Ulyana, let’s just get this over with.

Once you’ve experienced what it’s like to feel my love, you’ll never want another man again,” he hisses, spitting his words into my face in anger.

He grabs my shirt and rips it, tearing it from my body.

His eyes trace over my breasts and I buck beneath him, trying to throw him off me.

The door flies open and Benedikt shouts, “Get the fuck off her.”

Miron’s eyes flare wide, and he tries to roll away from me. The moment his hand leaves my mouth I scream, the terror inside me welled up and needing an escape.

Benedikt doesn’t give Miron a chance to get to his feet.

He slams into him with the full force of his weight.

His shoulder connects with Miron’s jaw and Miron flies across the hotel room, crashing into the table holding my dinner.

His spine snaps against it and he screams in agony.

He flops to the ground, paralyzed, no longer able to fight back.

I stare with morbid curiosity as he rolls his head to the side, still making a futile attempt to escape.

He doesn’t seem to have control over his body, but he still appears to be in a lot of pain.

“Please, wait.” Miron mutters, looking up at Benedikt. “It’s just the spine that’s broken, just the bones. If I get to a hospital they can fix it,” he says, pulling his mouth tight, agony shooting though him.

Benedikt doesn’t care. He grabs Miron around the throat and lifts him as he dangles, helpless, pain coursing through him, begging for mercy.

“I’ll disappear,” Miron shouts, pleading.

“Fuck you, you lying disgusting shit stain. You’re nothing, and there is no fucking chance in hell that I’m letting you walk out of here after you hurt my wife.”

“She’s mine,” Miron screams. “She was never yours.”

I’m surprised to see his psychotic obsession spilling out, even now, when he has no chance.

Benedikt looks at me, his eyes staring into my soul. I know what he’s asking. In this moment, I realize I don’t care if I’m the one holding the blade. I realize what Benedikt is willing to go through for me. For us.

“Do it,” I whisper, my heart spinning with a sick revolt of excitement to finally witness the moment Miron’s life ended.

Benedikt pulls a knife from his belt, and in slow motion, he presses it against Miron’s throat with the blade pointing upwards, towards his skull. He releases the hand holding Miron up. And he drops, right onto the blade.

It slips into his flesh, up through his jaw, piercing out the top of his skull.

Benedikt lets go of the knife, dropping Miron, the blade embedded in his head. I stare in disbelief, unable to move, watching the life drain from the man I’ve hated for so long.

Miron’s eyes twitch towards me. His lips move, but nothing comes out. His eyes roll, his body fighting, even in the last seconds.

Blood gushes from his wound, pouring down the front of his shirt.

I see it happen. The moment he dies.

The light snaps off behind his eyes. His body becomes an empty shell.

He’s gone.

Miron is gone.

Benedikt slips his arms around me and lifts me, cradling me against his broad chest.

“I’m so sorry, I got here as fast as I could,” he says, filled with pain.

“I’m okay. I’m alright,” I whisper, clinging to him.

“Did he—did he—"

“No.”

Benedikt lets out a heavy breath, relief spilling from him.

He holds me tighter. “It was Ardalion who saw Miron coming here. One of his men called it in and he called me. I knew you were here because I tracked your car. I’m sorry—I had to know you were safe.

But then, when I heard Miron was coming here too—I’m so sorry I didn’t get her sooner, Ulyana. ”

I lean back and grab his face. “You saved me,” I say, smiling. I can’t stop smiling, I can’t stop the relief, the adrenaline, the weight that’s lifted off my shoulders because that man is dead.

Benedikt nods, his brows furrowed. He’s not as happy as I am, he’s still worried about what I went through and worried that he didn’t get here soon enough.

But he did. And he saved me. And I love him.

I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him as tight as I can.

Jadon runs into the hotel room.

“Fuck,” he mutters, looking around. “You made sure he wasn’t going anywhere. Looks like I missed the party,” he chuckles.

Benedikt sets me on my feet but holds my hand tightly.

“Will you deal with this mess?” he asks Jadon.

“Of course, consider it done. I’ll call you later,” he answers, gesturing for Benedikt to leave.

Benedikt takes off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders.

He leads me towards the door, holding me against his side.

I steal one last glance at Miron and smile.

He’s really dead.

He finally got what he deserved.

Then I slip my arm around Benedikt’s waist and lean into him.

I can’t believe it’s over.

I never thought it would be. I had hope, I wished for it, but it felt like one of those things that would never end.

My whole life has changed in the blink of an eye.

One man dies and I am suddenly free.

Free from fear. Free from the constant thoughts of revenge.

It’s all over.

And in the end—it was Benedikt who gave that to me. Who saved me. He was the one who was there for me, even after I pushed him away and said terrible things.

I love him.

I can ’ t wait to tell him.