With This Ring

I could hear her pausing for a moment to think of how she was going to make this happen. “That’s my business.”

“Right.”

The door swished open.

The Range Rover was parked a few feet away. Both driver and passenger doors were open and the keys were in the ignition. Vasily was standing by. I jerked my head in his direction to indicate that he left.

“Get in!” she said.

I got into the driver’s seat, the gun still on me. She rounded the vehicle, one eye on me, and the other on Vasily. As she climbed into the high vehicle her footing slipped and l lunged forward to grab her hand to stop her from falling backwards and cracking her head on the unforgiving concrete sidewalk.

In that moment, when my hand was circled around her soft flesh, time stood still. Everything became crystal clear. The shocked expression on her face, her mouth slightly open, the noise of the gunshot echoing through the car park, my unwillingness to let go of her flesh even though the pain that blast through me was staggering.

She had fired the gun.

I heard Vasily begin to rush towards us, but everything that had been so crystal clear began to seem farther away. As I tightened my hold on her hand I saw the gun fall. I could feel my strength ebbing away. Before it did, I pulled her into the car. She came barreling in and nearly landed on top of me.

“Maxim,” she cried.

I looked down to see where I had been hit. It was right in the chest. She was going to be in so much trouble.

“Oh fuck,” I cursed and felt myself begin to fall back onto the seat.

The lift doors opened and my men burst through, the car park began to fill with them.

“Don’t fucking touch her,” I roared, but I could feel my voice getting fainter and fainter as pain spread through me.

“If any of you lay a- hurt a hair on h-her head… I will kill you myself,” I warned.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” she sobbed hoarsely.

“Get out of here!” I said harshly. “Right now. And don’t come back until I’m alright. Do you hear me? Do you fucking hear me? If I’m not okay—”

She laid her hand on my chest. The pain that hit me stole my breath.

“Maxim,” she sobbed.

“Don’t fucking come back,” I croaked out. “If I’m not okay, don’t … you d-dar … come ba—”

Then everything went black.

Chapter Forty-Two

Freya

Oh God. What have I done? I couldn’t believe what was happening.

I was pushed out of the way by his men, and within moments the vehicle zoomed off.

“Leave!” One of them who had remained suddenly yelled at me, his eyes so mean with fury I instantly remembered Maxim’s warning. I hurried back up to the apartment I saw my phone on the ground outside the elevator. I was shaking so badly it took three tries before I could pick it up. I pushed it into my pocket and ran towards the exit. Outside, I stood on the street for a moment. In disbelief and shock. Cold sweat poured down my back.

I had just shot Maxim.

My God.

What if I had killed him?

My eyes welled over with tears. Tears of fear and horror at what I had done. I turned back to go to him, but a ringing sound stopped me. For a few seconds I froze. The sound was so loud and jarring I couldn’t think. I shook my head to clear it, and realized it was my phone. I pulled it out of my pocket and stared at it stupidly. It was my father. My fingers were so sweaty, they slipped on the screen and refused to let me take the call. Roughly I wiped them on my jeans and tried again.

“Papa,” I gasped.

“Get out of there right now,” he said to me. I tried my best to stop shaking.

“Papa?” I said again.

“It’s all going to be okay, moya Printsessa. All you have to do is turn left at the end of the street and keep walking as fast as you can until you get to a small park. There will be a green Toyota waiting for you there. The driver will be wearing a blue cap. Get into the back of that car. Say nothing to the driver. He will take you to my plane. It will fly you to Moscow immediately.”

“Moscow?” I breathed.

“Yes, Moscow. Don’t waste another moment, Freya. If Ivanov catches you in New York he will kill you! Do you understand me? You just shot his son. Whether he lives or not you cannot remain in the same state with them. He will kill you on sight. Move, right now!”

He ended the call. I didn’t want to leave. The last thing I wanted in this world was to leave. It seemed cowardly. I wanted to stay and see Maxim. I wanted to make sure he was okay. I had to be sure he was okay.