Page 92 of Until Death or Defeat

My strong girl.

“You think I wanted you two? For my father to fuck your whore of a mother? For him to father two bastard children for mybitchof an uncle who couldn’t have his own?”

“Don’t fucking call her that!”she yells and pulls the trigger, the blowback shocking her and causing the shot to go off to the side.

“Do you know how it felt? Watching you fight to become the head over Caesar when that role was fuckingmine?Iam the first-born fucking son. You two are illegitimate bastards and don’t even fucking qualify!”

A shot from him rings off, and she moves to the side, too far from me now.

“I already got one bastard, and once I take you out, I’ll finally reclaim what was always meant for me. It’s perfect, really, because this victory ismuchsweeter leaving you for last, Gigi. You are the smart one, after all. I’m sure they’ll list your unused accomplishments at your funeral, that way maybe someone willfinallyacknowledge them,” he says and I hear shots.

Two.

“Giselle!” I yell, but no answer from her.

All I can hear is shuffling, they must be fighting over the guns somehow.

“You know, I knew you were going to be in my way one day,” I hear him say, the struggling still ensuing as I hear her yelp. “I had hoped for something more poetic, like taking you out the same way I took her out, but I’ll settle for this?—”

I shoot up from behind the thick counter, finding them tangled on the other side of the room, Leo straddling her as she tries to fight him off, a gun in his hand again.

“Oh, nice of you to join us again Artem, right on time,” he mocks, and sticks the barrel of the gun to her temple.

“Don’t,” I plead, helpless as her eyes meet mine.

It’s happening again.

I knew it would happen again.

I can’t keep her safe. I never fucking had a chance.

When I love someone, I might as well be signing their death certificate.

Please, don’t look at me like that,moya.

“You can’t stop me, Artem. Both of you were always fucking meant for this, you know that? You had to know, you’ve imagined it haven’t you? Seen her die over and over in your head before this moment?”

My teeth hurt from how tight I wire my jaw, my body rigid as I breathe deeply.

Yes.

A million times over the last nine years.

That beautiful fucking night on the roof when I touched her velvet skin for the first time, I saw her dead.

If he had the gun pointed at me, I would have already taken her shot. I would give anything to lay my life down for her.

“Well, this is getting a bit boring now. Turn around,” he says to me, gesturing with his free hand.

When I don’t move, he pushes the gun harder onto her forehead and I take a shuddering breath as I turn.

I’m so sorry,solnishko.

I fucking failed you.

“Hey, wha?—”

I turn back when I hear commotion, the gun sliding past me.