The Wolf and His Wife (Wolf 2)

I nodded.

Kamikaze did the same.

He grabbed a single bullet from his pocket and dropped it in a single slot. His thumb clicked in the barrel then he gave it a hard spin, making the bullet cycle into a random position. The gun was placed on the table once again, between the two of us.

Staring at the gun forced me to accept reality. This was happening. On the first go, I had a one-in-six chance of blowing my brains out. With every turn, the odds got higher and higher…until one of us finally croaked.

Kamikaze snapped his fingers. “Can we get some drinks over here? We’ll both take a scotch—neat.”

The guys scrambled around until the glasses were placed in front of us.

Arwen stayed in the corner, her muffled tears slightly audible. She sniffled occasionally, doing her best to stay strong but failing miserably. Good thing Kamikaze respected my wishes and kept his gaze on me.

“Coin toss?” He brought the glass to his lips and took a drink.

I gave a slight nod.

The same guy who handled the gun pulled a euro out of his pocket. He held it up for both of us to see, then he placed it on his thumb. “Call it in the air.” He released his finger and launched the coin to the ceiling.

I kept my gaze locked on his as I heard the coin flip into the air.

Kamikaze made the call before it landed back in his palm. “Heads, he goes first.”

Going first gave the best chance of survival because the odds of not getting the bullet were the greatest. But regardless of who went first, they were still shitty odds.

The man caught the quarter and looked at the landing. “Heads.”

Arwen sucked in a deep breath through her teeth.

I didn’t blink an eye over it. I still had a chance to survive this.

Kamikaze smiled like he disagreed.

I brought my glass to my lips and took a long drink before I reached for the gun. Silver and heavy, it was an antique. It was the kind of weapon used for special occasions like this, not in open combat. It was far too valuable to use on a random person. This gun was meant to give a dignified death.

I examined the weapon and felt the heft in my hand before I pointed it at my temple.

“Oh my god.” Arwen immediately lost her cool. She started to hyperventilate and sob. “No…”

Kamikaze kept his eyes on me.

My finger hugged the trigger, and I looked into the eyes of my enemy, feeling my heart rate pick up slightly when I understood I could die in the next few seconds. I would squeeze the trigger—and either live or die.

Kamikaze held up his glass, like he was making a toast.

My fingers tightened on the trigger, but I didn’t pull it just yet. I could hear Arwen struggling in the corner, her tears throbbing out of her throat. I wanted us both to walk out of there alive. But just because I wanted that, didn’t mean it would happen.

Squeeze.

The gun clicked, but the bullet never came.

Arwen sucked in another deep breath, her cries still audible.

I set the gun in the middle of the table and grabbed my scotch again.

Kamikaze snatched the gun, pointed it at his temple, grinned like a psychopath, and then pulled the trigger—in less than a couple of seconds. Like a man with a death wish, he didn’t take the time to savor the scotch on his tongue, the air in his lungs. He was such a maniac that there was no need to pause. It actually gave him a high.

He slid the gun back toward me. “We’re at fifty-fifty, Maverick.”

The gun sat in front of me, the silver weapon looking more intimidating now that my odds had just decreased significantly. This was the third try, which meant I had a twenty-five percent chance of getting the bullet.

I didn’t like those odds.

Arwen became louder, not bothering to try to be quiet anymore. Her distress was like a car alarm in the middle of the night.

I picked up the gun and pointed it at my head.

Now I didn’t feel so good about this.

“No…please.” Arwen abandoned her attempt at being strong. She was coming apart with every second—and I couldn’t help her.

I had to win—but I had no control over that.

Kamikaze swirled his glass before he took a drink. “What are you waiting for, Maverick?”

My finger wrapped around the trigger, and I kept my hand steady. It didn’t matter how fearless a man was. When an enemy shot you in the head, you held your head high until the end. But to pull the trigger on yourself…that took a whole new level of courage. It went against biological nature to kill yourself so brutally. But I had to pull the trigger—no matter what happened.

Squeeze.

“Stop…” Arwen slid down to the floor, openly weeping in both terror and relief.