Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 54899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“Yes,” Brandon replies. “Sorry, Ghost,” he offers his friend a brief apology. “Did you find anything else?”
Logan’s jaw clenches. He’s still pissed off.
“More might be coming. I found messages between Costa and Ivanov. You were right: they were working together. Others might’ve known about it. You’re in deep shit.”
My blood goes cold. How many of Brandon’s enemies are targeting us? I know he’s strong and ruthless when it comes to protecting me, but even he has his limits.
“I don’t want you to get hurt,” I say, my hand tightening around his with a burst of anxiety.
“No one will hurt me,” he reassures me. “I won’t let them. I have you to come back to. Nothing will separate us again.”
“Who is Ivanov?” I remember how the man who threatened me with the knife spoke in Russian. “My stalker?”
Logan snorts. “Ivanov was an enforcer for the Bratva in Moscow. Your stalker is holding your hand right now.”
Brandon’s face turns thunderous.
My stomach drops. “What’s he talking about?”
“I thought you weren’t keeping secrets anymore,” Logan says pointedly. “Didn’t you tell her about how you’ve been obsessing over her for years?”
“You know I’m obsessed with you,” Brandon says to me. “I already told you how Ghost helped me track you down at UNC.”
But there’s more to it than that. I can read the fear in his eyes.
The terrible truth clicks into place. “You’re my stalker.”
He shakes his head. “It’s not like that.”
I try to yank my hand free from his, but he holds me fast.
“That sick note that Ivanov left me was so different from the possessive texts from my stalker. Ivanov tried to kill me twice. The person who sent those messages would never have hurt me. He thought I belonged to him.”
Oh, god.
Brandon has said we belong together. He’s been fixated on me since we were teenagers.
I wanted to be his, but I never wanted this.
“You manipulated me,” I accuse. “You pretended to be my professor. You took me into your office and promised to protect me, but you were my stalker all along.”
Ice encases my heart at the next realization. “You killed Rich.”
Brandon’s eyes flash. “And I would do it again. He tried to force himself on you.”
Rich flirted with me a little in public, but he tried to steal that sloppy kiss in the privacy of my kitchen.
“How could you possibly know about that?” My brain can’t quite accept what’s happening. It’s too horrific. “No one else was in my flat when that happened.”
Logan curses. “You didn’t tell her about the cameras?”
Brandon rounds on him, but I keep him leashed with my hold on his hand. “Don’t you dare. This isn’t about him. Will you ever stop lying to me?”
His friend lifts his hands in a show of contrition. “You said you told her everything. I didn’t mean to out you.”
Brandon turns to me. “I had to keep you safe.”
“You put cameras in my apartment?” I demand shrilly. “You let me think Rich’s death was my fault!”
I feel like I’m going to vomit. “What else have you done to me?”
He takes a step towards me, and I recoil. He won’t let go of my hand.
“Don’t touch me,” I beg, a broken plea. He pulls me closer. “Don’t fucking touch me, Brandon!”
He releases me as though I’ve burned him. My heart is breaking all over again.
Only this time, it’s so much worse than when I thought he betrayed me to Carter.
“I can never trust you again.” The truth leaves me a horrified whisper.
“Please, Karolina. Everything I’ve done has been for you.”
“That makes it worse!” I cry. “I didn’t want any of this. I don’t want this.”
I can’t. I can’t want this dangerous man, no matter how much I loved him when we were young.
“Don’t say this is the end of us,” he begs.
“How can there be an us when I don’t know you? Who are you, really? Bones, Rand, or Ragnarök? Which is it?”
“I’m Brandon. And you’re my Karolina.”
My soul shatters.
“Not anymore.” My voice hitches. “I belonged to the boy I loved. I don’t know you now.”
“You do know me. I’ve told you everything.”
“No,” I seethe, clinging to anger rather than succumbing to grief. “Logan just told me everything. You’ve done nothing but deceive me over and over again. I can’t take anymore.”
He’s chalk white. A light flickers and dies in his eyes.
He turns away from me, and his tone is devoid of emotion when he addresses Logan. “Send me Costa’s location. I’m going to the armory, and then I’ll take care of him.”
Logan scrubs a hand over his face. “Shit, Ragnar. I’m sorry.”
“You’ll keep her safe?”
“With my life. I swear. Fuck, I’m so sorry. I was pissed that you told her my name, but I didn’t mean to do this.”
Brandon doesn’t so much as flinch. He’s ice cold, expressionless.
He won’t look at me.