Chapter 33: Sinful Union: Chapter 33

“Alright, Piotr,” Pavel says. “Let’s talk.”

Vlad’s bloodshot gaze flicks to me as I adjust my hand beneath his head. He’s trembling, bruised everywhere, and barely able to stay alert, but still insists it’s not as bad as it looks.

“Vlad,” I whisper, “do you think you can stand?”

He breathes a ragged breath. “I’ll manage.” His mouth curls, like he’s forcing a grin through the swelling. “Just…give me a hand.”

I slide my shoulder under his arm and haul him up, worried I won’t be able to hold his weight. He groans softly, and I fight to keep him from collapsing back onto the floor. The battered look in his eye crushes me, but there’s a flash of pride there—he refuses to be seen as helpless.

Piotr sits at Pavel’s desk, arms folded, posture rigid. His men hover just outside the door, rifles ready. My pulse pounds in my ears. Across the room, Pavel watches as I struggle to help Vlad, and I know there’s fiery anger simmering under his calm demeanor.

“Vlad,” Pavel cautions, “take it slow.”

Vlad nods stiffly, leaning into me. Then, with a faint cough, he lifts his head toward Piotr. “We need to talk as a family, not as enemies,” he manages, though his voice is weak.

Piotr’s mouth curls in contempt. “Family? That’s funny.” His eyes drift over Vlad, then me, then Pavel. “I won’t have any family left after tonight.”

Vlad’s weight shifts against me. I can feel the tremor in his muscles. He’s struggling to stay upright, but his glare is unwavering. I grit my teeth, rage boiling within. Pavel steps forward, shoulders squared.

“Piotr,” Pavel says, “we can still work this out without shedding more blood. You know—”

Piotr glares at Pavel. “Work it out? I’m done with your fake negotiations. I made a deal with Viktor Novikov. We take you out, then the city is ours.”

My stomach twists. “You’d betray everything our father built?” I choke out, ignoring the tears that threaten to spill. “You’re a piece of shit, Piotr. Dad must be rolling in his grave.”

He barks a harsh laugh. “Rolling in ashes, you mean,” he corrects, eyes blazing. “He’s gone. Get over it. And once I kill Pavel, no one will be able to stand against Viktor and me. Not you, not Vlad, not any of the old guard.”

I’m so angry, I feel like my nerves are on fire. Next to me, Vlad continues to tremble, his nails biting into my shoulder.

“You—” he tries, but words fail him. His voice cracks. “Brother, I loved you once, you bastard.”

Piotr’s jaw twitches but he doesn’t acknowledge Vlad’s pain outright. Instead, he turns to Pavel. “Do you think there’s some sort of compromise coming?”

Pavel keeps his composure, though I sense his fury in the way his fists clench at his sides. “We don’t have to do this. More killing, more war, will only—”

“There’s no compromise,” Piotr snarls. He jerks his head at one of his men standing in the hallway, anxiously awaiting direction. The thug steps forward, pressing a handgun into Piotr’s palm.

My heart drops. Pavel tenses, bracing himself.

Piotr stands and lifts the gun, leveling it at Pavel’s head. I can’t breathe. Time seems to freeze—until my body moves on instinct.

“No!” I shout, shoving Vlad’s arm off me and hurling myself in front of Pavel. My arms go up as fear and adrenaline coil in my gut. “You’ll have to kill me first.”

“Kat, move!” Pavel growls behind me, grabbing at my waist. He tries to yank me out of the line of fire, but I grip the edge of the desk in an attempt to anchor myself.

Piotr’s gun remains fixed on Pavel’s head.

“You’re both idiots,” he says as he looks at me with an ugly sneer. “Fine. I’ll start with you since you won’t step aside. Doesn’t matter anyway. What a disappointment you turned out to be, little sister.”

I swallow hard, forcing my voice to remain steady. “Think about Ana. She’s your niece. She looks up to you; she adores you. Do you want her to grow up knowing you killed her parents?” The words come out almost frantically, my throat nearly closing up as I say them.

His lip curls into a wicked sneer. “Ana will be safe. I’ll see to that. She doesn’t need an idiotic mother who stands in front of bullets. Now step away, or I’ll shoot through you.”

Pavel’s arms circle my waist, again trying to pull me back.

“Damn it, Kat,” he grits out. “Don’t—”

I twist free. “No.” My heart hammers. “Piotr, if you do this, you’ll destroy her.”

He barks a humorless laugh. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll manage. She won’t even remember you in a few years. This is your last warning.”

Time seems to slow down.

Vlad lets out a hoarse cry. I don’t see him clearly, but I sense his movement. Maybe he’s trying to lunge at Piotr or maybe he’s collapsing from the pain. Pavel tugs me sideways, cursing, desperation in his eyes as he locks them on mine. But my feet refuse to budge from Piotr’s line of fire.

Piotr’s eyes flash with a cruel darkness as he adjusts his grip on the gun, taking aim again, this time directly at me. My stomach clenches in terror.

Behind me, Vlad coughs and tries to shout. At the same instant, Pavel lunges, trying to push me out of the way. Piotr’s expression looks savage, his finger tightening on the trigger.

He fires.

The gunshot explodes like thunder.