I release him, but before he can blink, I grab my gun from my back pocket, hold it to his head, and cock the hammer.
At that moment, Anastasia’s shrill scream pierces through me and the same dainty hands that made me bend my will earlier to allow this visit grab my arm.
“Desmier, no, please don’t,” Anastasia begs, but it’s best I don’t look at her. Not while I’m like this, in full-on berserker mode, ready to kill.
To my surprise, Viktor laughs. It’s a haughty, holier-than-thou laugh that continues to mock me. A stream of blood runs out the corner of his mouth, making his bloody smile look as psychotic as he called me.
I don’t look away from him. I’m one breath away from ending him, and nothing short of a miracle will stop me.
“Go on, do it. Show us what a savage piece of shit you are.” Viktor raises his voice.
“Viktor, fucking stop it!” Anastasia yells. “Desmier, put the gun away.”
“No, go on, kill me.” Viktor’s voice rises even higher. “Dig that hole deeper for yourself, motherfucker, because she loved me first. I can see what’s happening here, and she doesn’t want you. Force her however you want to, but you’ll still be trash.”
His words fuel my rage and I want to release my bullet right into his head, but he’s clever. He’s figured me out and knew exactly what to say to stall me.
He used her against me. If I kill him now, I’ll fall into my own trap, and she’ll hate me as much as I wanted her to when I first started this game.
Anastasia’s grip tightens on my arm and the feel of her desperation sinking into me is what makes me the loser, and I lower my gun.
Viktor’s unwavering smile becomes triumphant and he straightens, hardening his stare.
“Get the fuck out of my house.” I don’t know how I can speak. “And don’t contact Anastasia ever again. Stay the fuck away from her.”
“As you wish, brother.” That’s the first time he’s called me that and his words were dripping with poison. He looks at Anastasia and I hate, hate, hate the sparkle that enters his eyes. “Baby, remember what I said. I mean it. I’m still fighting for you.”
With that, he walks out, and she lets my arm go.
The sound of the front door closing moments later pierces the tension and I turn to face Anastasia, who looks pale and frail like she might pass out.
The two of us are filled with so much indignation it’s hard to believe we’re the same guy and girl who walked into this house not even half an hour ago.
Her gaze falls to my gun still hanging limp in my hand, and her porcelain skin flushes. The freaked-out look on her face and the rapid rise and fall of her chest tell me that despite her anger, she’s afraid of me.Reallyafraid of me.
I put the gun away, but I’m still seeing red.
“You would have killed him,” she stutters, holding back tears.
“Yes.”
She sucks in a sharp, shocked breath. “Are you serious?”
I’ll never know. Chances are I might not have, but I can’t be sure I would have come to my senses.
“I told you I’d never lie to you. What about you? What would have happened if I’d walked in on your conversation a second later? Would I have heard you confessing your undying love for him? Or maybe you would have been fucking him. Bet he really misses that.”
She goes from scared to livid in the blink of an eye, and I can’t blame her. Even I know I’m being an asshole.
“I’m not talking to you when you’re like this.” She whirls around and heads through the door.
I follow on her tail, still seeing red, and at the same time kicking myself because I know I fucked up. Me and my uncontrollable temper lost whatever magic we had before we encountered Viktor. But I still want an answer to my question and I’ll go crazy if I don’t get one.
I catch up to her as she’s about to take the stairs, and grab her arm.
“Let go of me, you asshole.”
“No, answer the fucking question.” I release her arm when she wrenches free.