Page 14 of Devious Obsession
I swear he’s worse than Alexander sometimes.
“Elana Volkov.” A smile slithers across his lips as he brings his eyes to mine. “You’re a Volkov. You say you were with Tony…you’re the woman that got him killed.”
“No. I had nothing to do with that.” Tony got himself killed.
“How are you a Volkov, then, if you’re not the sister who was fucking Tony?”
I jerk against the hands holding me, but I’m not going anywhere.
“I can make the same deal, but those women?—”
“You want them back so bad, maybe I should bring you to them.” He taps his chin with my phone. “Yeah. Actually, good idea.”
He snatches the envelope of cash from my hands. “You’ll keep them company until I get business done with your brothers. I’ll use this to buy you some nice clothes, get all of you dolled up for the guys.”
Cold trickles through my veins, and for a moment my mind blanks.
“That’s not going to happen.” The icy tone in his voice startles me more than his presence.
Janis’s eyes go wide. Color drains from his cheeks. His cocky demeanor diminishes as he retreats a step.
The guard holding me tightens his grip on me. I’m his shield now, not his captive.
Artem comes into view, his gun pointed at the man holding me.
“You should let her go.”
“You said she was alone.” Janis accuses his man.
“She was.”
I was, at least I thought I was.
“Let her go,” Artem orders again.
His tone is nothing compared to his stone-cold murderous expression. If I didn’t know him, I’d be terrified right now. Artem has a reputation. I’ve heard my brothers and the other guys talking about him when they didn’t know I was in earshot. But I thought it was just talk. Exaggeration, the way men do.
I was wrong.
Two more men step out from behind pallets, their guns already drawn.
My captor uses my own gun to press against my temple.
While my stomach clenches into a pretzel, Artem seems more relaxed than ever.
“Seems you’re a little outnumbered.” Janis sneers. “We were just discussing business, and you’ve interrupted my meeting.”
There’s a pop, then another, and another. The gun against my temple falls away then the man crumbles to the ground at my feet. The other two guards fire, but their aim is way off. Artem’s isn’t. Two more shots and they’re on the ground, too.
Warm liquid drips down my face, through my hair. Blood. I suck in a breath, my heart beating too fast for my lungs to keep up.
Artem moves his aim to Janis. Three more men come running toward us.
“Go.” Artem barks at me, getting in front of me to block me from the guards.
“No. Wait.” I dig out my knife from my captor’s pocket, doing my best not to look at the blood pooling around his head.
Artem growls, grabs hold of me, then shoves me behind him as he fires off more rounds.
