𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐃𝐎 𝐔𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 - 𝟏𝟖+

T W E L V E

K E I R A

Moscow, Russia

I saw his jaw clenching, his biceps tightening as I turned around to walk; it seemed like the only thing I was good at was making him angry, but he didn't realize it was for his protection. If the fucker who aimed at him was Astley's man then it was starting all over again, and this time I couldn't stop anything. Nikolai had jumped head-first into the storm when all I'd wanted was to keep him out of the eye of the storm.

Perhaps I should've been afraid to turn my back on a man like him. The man he'd become, the monster he masqueraded as because I was too scared to keep the fable I'd created when I was with him. Whoever said time heals all wounds clearly didn't know what they were talking about because Niko and I were a diseased wound, and the only way to get rid of the pain was when our hearts stopped beating.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to the room I'd tied the fucker in, and stepped inside, leaving the door open behind me for Niko to enter. I looked over my shoulder, only to find his posture eased as he leaned against the wall, his hands in his pockets while he looked around the room nonchalantly. Turning back to the task at hand, I faced the sniper I'd tied to a chair in a centre of the room. Walking over, I removed my gun from my waistband and fired at his left thigh, a scream followed the deafening bang of the gunshot, and he brought his face up, his bloodshot eyes meeting mine.

Fuck.

He'd taken something when I stopped him from shooting down Niko and I didn't notice, now all I had was a few minutes. As if he knew that I was privy to his secret, his lips curled up into a smirk. Swallowing, I opened my mouth to ask him the question I'd been fearing the answer to, "Who sent you?" My voice was shakier than I'd hoped, but the blood rushing inside my head was too loud to listen to anything else.

He grunted at that, "Your blood carries the sin Knight, and all sins must be repented," His voice broke as he gasped, I wasn't sure Niko knew what was going on because he couldn't see his eyes. "Your days are numbered now, he'll take what was rightfully his, what your father stole, and it's time for payback." He convulsed at that, his eyes closing shut, and I knew it was now or never. Niko couldn't know. Bringing up my Eagle, I touched his forehead with the barrel and pulled the trigger.

Panic clawed at my insides, I had to call Kyzer; we should've known he'd be back, after all, killing our parents wouldn't be enough. Dad was a low-ranking bodyguard, and my mother chose him, giving him a seat at the table, she rejected Astley, and he'd never gotten over it. Not when he killed and tortured them, not when he dismembered the Pentagon, and sent us all into hiding. He was a snake, it was his nature to poison everything. This was bad.

Niko wasn't having it, he walked up to me; fury laced his features as he stood right in front of me, his eyes narrowed. Too lost in the echoes of my fears, I didn't notice when he clutched my chin, harshly, turning my head to meet his cold gaze. A chill ran through my spine as I schooled my features, slipping the mask I'd mastered back on as I returned his gaze head-on.

"Why did you do that?" He gritted through his teeth, his eyes searching mine, but I knew he didn't find anything when I felt his rage in my bones.

"He was of no further use. He was hired." I answered monotonously, wishing that he'd just leave it alone, but I should've known better.

"Do you take me for a fool like the rest of your men?" He growled, his fingers digging into my flesh as he tilted my head to a near-painful angle, but I wouldn't let him see my discomfort.

"I told you, he was useless."

"He wasn't." Niko barked, "He threatened you, and I intend to know what the fuck it meant. I can smell your fear, little wolf, and it's mine. So stop lying to me like you're so used to."