Page 86 of Villainous Kingpin

“Protect me?” I screeched. “You want to protect me by keeping me oblivious to EVERYTHING.” Uncle gave me a confused look. “I could look the enemy in the face and smile, and not even know they are the enemy. You know why? Because you keep me in the dark,” I screamed.

My chest rose up and down, my breathing heaved and I knew everyone was staring at me like I had lost my mind. Outbursts were non-existent in my childhood. It was all about discipline and control. Well, I fucking lost my control. I lost everything.

“Wynter, I-”

“Don’t fucking tell me any more lies,” I snapped, my voice high pitched. “If your protection means me being left in the dark and finding out who the fucking enemies are as I’m being-”

I stopped, unable to finish the statement. My ears rang, my lungs closed up, my throat tightened. It was like someone gripped it tight. Like Gio DiLustro himself choked the life out of me.

I couldn’t breathe. Every single second that ticked, the panic in my chest grew. Desperate, I fought for air, just an ounce of oxygen.Fuck, is a panic attack going to kill me, my mind whispered. I was never prone to those, but I’ve seen it on my mother once or twice.

My hand clawed at my chest, as if ripping it open would give me air to breathe. They trembled so bad, I couldn’t even do that right. The buzzing in my ears grew, this terror twisted something inside me and it wouldn’t let go.

Uncle’s face inched closer, but my vision was too hazy. I could barely focus on it. Juliette, Ivy, and Davina’s voices sounded like echoes in my brain, taking them further and further away.

CHAPTER32

Sasha

Both Brennan and I caught Wynter’s body at the same time, before she hit the floor.

“What’s wrong with her?” Brennan demanded to know.

He was alarmed, his eyes darting between the women and me, demanding to know.

I knew Wyn didn’t tell them anything, not wanting to upset them, but they knew something happened. They weren’t dumb, reckless but not dumb.

Yet, the three of them shook their heads and said nothing and fuck, I was proud of Wyn’s crazy, slightly idiotic friends because they refused to betray her.

So his eyes came back to him. “I know you know, Nikolaev,” he growled.

"God, so much fucking testosterone. How about you worry about my cousin and not this pissing contest you two seem to be in." Of course it would be Juliette to say something like that.

"Juliette." Her father shot her a warning glare.

"My cousin is lying limp in your arms. How about we focus on helping her and you can growl at people later," she reasoned with him.

“So this is what you were talking about when you advised me to look for a highly guarded school,” Nico mused.

And as if the twins knew their father was talking about them, they strolled in at the same time, as I lifted Wynter up into my arms.

“I’m taking her back to my place,” I told Brennan.

“The fuck you are,” he growled. “She’s my niece. My family.”

“And she’ll come back to you when she’s ready,” I told him in a cold voice. “Not a moment sooner.”

“How about if we lay her in one of the guest rooms,” Nico’s wife, Bianca, suggested. She reminded me so much of Isabella, it wasn’t even funny. The woman had no business being among men like us. Much like Wynter.

Juliette, on the other hand, that one might turn into a goddamn killer.

“Give her to me, Nikolaev,” Brennan ordered. I guess the fucker hadn’t heard, I fucking sucked at following orders. Did enough of that shit in the military to last me two lifetimes. “Or I’ll fucking end you, to hell with your brothers.”

My expression darkened. “You can try,” I said coldly. “But it won’t end well for you. Thank the saints, Brennan, that I have your niece in my arms, or I’d crush your throat.”

“Whoa, whoa. Everyone calm down.” Brennan’s wife jumped in and the girl actually put herself between her husband and me. “Let’s leave Wynter with Sasha. She wants it that way and he’s kept her safe so far.”

“Why don’t we let them fight it out?” Nico’s twin girls leaned on each side of the doorway. “Let’s take bets. I want to see who’s better.”