Page 75 of Claimed By the Pakhan

Luka’s eyes gleam in the sunlight. “I knew you would respond that way, spitfire.”

Disgust turns my blood cold. That nickname is reserved for Emil, and Luka knows that too.

Luka tilts his head, regarding my expression. “Ah, so it’s fine for Emil to use that name, but you look repulsed whenever I say it. Double fucking standards,” he says, the smile disappearing from his face. “Emil would be nothing without his charm. He used to be something powerful, an inspiration to all, including me, but you stripped that from him,” says Luka, staring at me. “I must thank you for that, Fia. You watered him down just enough for me to pull this off.”

“You might want to hold back on the victory speech,” I say.

“You’re right. Emil would want to hear it, too.”

“Where the hell is…?” The rest of that question dissolves on my tongue when Luka removes a knife from his pocket, pointing it at Chloe.

He grabs the back of her neck, holding her up, teasing the knife up her throat.

“Oh my god,” I panic, the sheer terror in her eyes giving me no other option but to obey Luka.

“What do you want?” I say, my voice cracking. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just leave Chloe out of this.”

“Are you sure you want her to live?” taunts Luka, his cold eyes finding mine. “When she conspired behind your back to work with me?”

Chloe’s face is clouded in regret. “Fia, I’m so?—”

“Sorry?” finishes Luka. “Yeah,” he laughs. “That’s what they all say when they have been caught red-handed.”

Everything hurts, my body exhausted, my head pounding with a terrible headache from all of the crying. A part of me sinks whenI look at Chloe. She was supposed to be my one friend in all of this, my confidant, the person I trusted, and she collaborated with Luka to pull me away from Emil.

The sadness pooling from her eyes suggests she has finally woken up and discovered who the real enemy is in all of this.

“Luka got you a ticket to the gala,” I state, my mind starting to make sense of things.

“I thought he was on your side, Fia, and I wanted to help. I’m sorry.”

Her apology only makes my blood boil more. How fucking dare Luka drag my friend into this mess, playing with her feelings, and now her life, like she is a chess piece in his game?

The container lid threatens to open. The feelings of sadness transition into something more fiery when they hit the air. It feels like lava is being pumped through my veins, my body burning up.

“Leave Chloe alone,” I repeat, my decision the same as before. “Let’s get out of here. I look forward to seeing what you have in store for me.”

Luka flashes me a wicked smile, tucking the knife back into his belt. Chloe collapses beneath him, exhaling a sigh of relief, but the terror remains in her eyes.

“No, Fia,” she mouths, shaking her head, more tears falling. “Please stay.”

I shoot Chloe a glare, telling her to remain quiet. Luka still has his hand wrapped around that fucking knife, and he’s well versed in cleaning up dead bodies without anyone noticing.

“I knew you would come around,” he says.

I climb to my feet, shooting Chloe one last glare, this one more reassuring than the last.

If loving Emil costs me my life, I still see it as a positive. Our relationship might have been unconventional and messy at times, but it was real. Looking into Luka’s soulless eyes reinforces the fact that Emil was never the monster.

If this day is my last, I’ll cross over into the next life and be with Emil in a different form. He’s made mistakes, killed too many people, but he refuses to give up on me, even when I make things difficult. We find a way to be together in every life, and that gives me hope for whatever comes next.

28

EMIL

Shit hits the fan,and these bastards are suddenly nowhere to be seen.

After flipping the dockyard upside down with my men, I return home and see my four guards staring at me plainly.