Page 69 of Wicked Villain

He chuckles, opens the file, then tips the documents out. They drift to the floor. “It’s all standard details.” He kicks the paperwork. “Things like where your parents live, work, shop, monthly expenses. I suppose the most interesting thing in the file is how much your precious father spends on his prostitutes when he’s traveling. Fifty grand on his last trip. That’s a pretty penny, printsessa.”

I stifle a groan and ignore the roiling in my stomach. Once again, Papa has disappointed me.

“Now that’s out of the way, let’s go back to the pressing matter at hand.” He motions to the gun in my hand. “My wife wants to kill me.”

“Seems fair. You might kill me.”

“Might.” He holds my gaze and waves the picture in his hand.

“Don’t bullshit me.”

That mirthless smile returns. “I won’t. Here’s the truth… I’ve come to the decision that I much prefer you alive.”

What a thing to say to me. “You prefer me alive?”

“As it were.” He tsks.

“Why?”

“You fascinate me. And we did sign that contract. You married me, and I kept my word. I’ve said this before, printsessa, if I wanted you dead, you and yours would be dead already. I don’t like playing with my food. But that’s irrelevant now, isn’t it? You have the power. Why don’t you use it?” His gaze drifts back to the gun. It feels heavier now at my side.

“Shouldn’t you be trying to talk me out of shooting you?”

He tosses the picture in the air, and it floats over the balcony, then his face hardens. “I’m the Pakhan of the Karsavin Bratva. Bratva men don’t beg for our lives. We stare death in the face and welcome it. So, go ahead, sweetheart, make my day.”

He moves right up to me. “Do it,” he urges. “You already know if you kill me, you’ll be free. But if you let me live… you’ll answer for breaching our contract.”

What the hell? “How? I’m not even pointing the stupid gun at you.”

“The fact that you picked it up is enough. Don’t lie to me, malyshka. You thought about it, about killing me.”

I can’t even argue.

“So, here’s your chance to fucking do it.” He holds up his hands and grins, ready to meet death.

I stare at him long and hard. Seconds of silence pass between us, then I shake my head. My decision remains the same.

I can’t kill him.

I won’t.

My hand trembles around the gun, but I walk past him and set it back on the table where I found it. On seeing that, the bastard has the audacity to look disappointed. Disappointed in me.

“Big mistake, malyshka. Big, big mistake.” He tsks, shaking his head, then brings his hands together, almost in prayer.

I surrendered. Yielded. Now I’m in breach of our contract. I just made everything so much worse.

“What are you going to do to me?” It’s the worst thing I could ever ask him, but I need to know.

“Hmmmm.” He sounds like he’s enjoying a fine meal. He brings his fingers to his chin and shoots me that menacing grin as his gaze roams over my body. “Let’s just say everything changes from here on out, printsessa. Now you have to live with the consequences of keeping me alive.”

“What consequences?”

“Me.” Dark malice awakens in his eyes. “I am the consequence of your surrender. Now, strip.”

I gasp, almost choking on my breath. “What!”

“You heard me, printsessa. Strip. Take everything off.”