made mine. Enjoy your last few minutes of life—just don’t shit in my car.”
The car pulled up to the roundabout where the fountain stood, the exact place where he had executed a Russian traitor just weeks ago. His men stood there with their guns on their hips, and Bates was in the center, looking even more pissed than Cato. With his arms across his chest, he stared at my window like he could see me through the tint.
I knew Cato didn’t unleash empty threats. He would drag me out of that car and force me to my knees like a prisoner of war. I’d done this to save my father, but now I realized, no matter what decision I’d made, I was destined to wind up dead anyway.
When Cato stepped out of the car, the men opened my door and yanked me out.
Bates was on me fast. “What did I say?” He grabbed me by the neck and punched me hard in the face.
I dropped to the ground instantly. I’d never been hit like that in my life. My lip bled and vertigo started. The pain didn’t knock me off my feet right away. It was the momentum packed into the punch.
Cato did nothing.
“I told you not to fuck with my brother.” He yanked my hand off my face then punched me again. “You fucking whore.”
My head snapped back at the impact of his fist. Now the pain kicked in—and it was excruciating.
Cato grabbed a pistol from one of his men. “Stop.”
Bates punched me again, making my nose bleed.
“Enough.” This time, Cato grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off.
“You should be the one doing this.” Bates yanked his arm free. “Make that bitch suffer.”
“Not interested. Not worth my time.” He cocked the gun and walked toward me, the weapon hanging at his side. There was no pity in his eyes for the way his brother had beat me. The second Cato’s eyes settled on me, that same rage took over. He raised the gun and pointed it at me, aiming for my skull.
On the ground like an animal, I was defenseless. All I could do was look at the barrel that would give me the release of death. I’d lived my life fearlessly, but in that moment, all I felt was fear. There were no words to describe how it felt to have a gun pointed at me like that, to see the man’s hand not shake at all. “I did it to save my father…what else was I supposed to do?” I refused to cry or shake. My last moments on earth would be full of dignity…at least as much as I could possess with blood dripping down my face.
“Don’t care.”
“You would have done the same.”
“And I would have paid the price for it—and not begged for my life.” Cato was the stone-cold killer he was rumored to be. He’d fucked me and shared private moments with me over dinner, but none of that mattered now.
Now that I had nothing left to say, I said the only thing that might matter. I wasn’t completely sure it was the truth, but based on all my symptoms, I couldn’t find a more logical explanation. “I’m pregnant.”
The gun shook as he narrowed his eyes.
“Liar,” Bates barked. “And even if you aren’t, you think we give a damn? Two birds with one stone.”
The gun continued to shake in Cato’s hand. “I expected more out of you.”
“I’m not lying, Cato. You know I’ve been sick for over a week.”
“From the guilt—of being a lying bitch.”
I placed my hand over my stomach, like that would make a difference.
He still didn’t pull the trigger.
Bates stared at his brother, his arms over his chest. “Cato, kill her.”
Cato continued to hold the gun, but his resolve faded.
“She’s lying,” Bates said. “And even if she isn’t, who gives a shit? Kill her or I will.”
The rage remained in Cato’s eyes as he lowered the gun to the ground.
“You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” Bates stepped in and snatched the gun out of his hand. He pointed at me and fired.
Cato managed to push the gun away from my direction at the right second. “What the fuck are you doing?” He snatched the gun.
“You’re too much of a pussy to kill her. So I’ll do it.”
Cato emptied the bullets out of the barrel. “We can’t.”
Bates stared at his brother furiously, his jaw tight and his head shaking slightly. “Who gives a shit, Cato? Even if she is pregnant,