Page 21 of Wicked Refusal

“Don’t be.”

My eyes snap open. It’s his voice.Hisvoice.

A gun cocks. Desya twists around. The cold edge of his knife leaves my skin untouched.

Then I see him.

Tall. Strong. Perfect.

And absolutely fucking furious.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch her,” he snarls. “She’smine.”

7

YULIAN

The second I see him, all my doubts disappear.

It’s him. He’s back.

And he’s got a knife on Mia.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch her,” I snarl. “She’smine.”

My eyes find hers. She looks so scared. Trying to put up a brave front, like always, but there’s no mistaking the fresh trail of tears on her cheeks.

It makes me want to skin Desya alive.

But Desya only smirks, stepping away with his hands high, knife still gleaming red. It’s only a single drop of blood, but it makes me fucking boil.

He cut her. He hurt her.

He touched what’s mine.

“What, not even a hug?” Desya flashes a carefree grin. “How heartless you’ve become, Yuli. It’s been twenty years, you know.”

“It should have been longer.”

“You don’t really believe that.” His grin turns vicious. “If you did, you’d have put a bullet in my head instead of taking me to swim.”

“My mistake.” I aim my gun at his head. “Won’t happen again.”

“Oh, c’mon. You’re really going to blow my brains out in front ofher?”

“Mia’s not that weak.”

“I wasn’t talking about yourprintsessa.” His gaze flicks behind me. “I was talking about mine. Hi there, Niks.”

“You piece of shit,” Nikita spits. “You think I’d give a damn? Seriously?”

“I mean, you should. We used to play all the time, remember? I’d carry you on my shoulders and let you pick oranges over the neighbors’ fence. Those were good days.”

“They were.” She cocks her gun. “Then you murdered my sister.”

“Please. You didn’t evenlikeher. But then again, who did?” He pretends to have an epiphany, then turns to me. “Oh, that’s right. You.”

Nikita looks like she wants to throw her gun away and claw his face off with her bare hands. I can’t say I blame her.