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"Don't move—!" He roared hoarsely, voice broken. "One more move and I'll send her and the little bastard in her belly to hell!"

The air froze again. Marco's bulging, muscled arm pressed against Cassie's vulnerable throat.

Chapter 27

Cassie

Marco's arm was like a red-hot iron clamp, crushing my throat. His rough skin scraped against my windpipe, the thick smell of blood mixed with his body odor choking me nearly unconscious. I could clearly feel his heart hammering wildly in his chest, his whole body shaking violently from extreme fear and hysterical rage, each tremor tightening his grip.

"Let her go, Marco." Gennady's voice was low but filled with deadly intent.

He stood several meters away. At his shoulder, the fabric was torn by the bullet's scorching path, dark red blood continuously seeping from the rolled-back flesh, soaking his black shirt. Fresh scrapes marked his face, his knuckles were split and bleeding, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's, locked dead on Marco.

Marco burst into victorious laughter, the sound exploding in my ear. "Look at you! The high and mighty Sokolov! Groveling like a dog for this bitch!"

His arm around my neck suddenly tightened! Everything went black instantly, my lungs burning like fire!

The baby! The tiny life in my belly seemed to stir in response, and a savage survival strength surged through my limbs!

"What do you want?" Gennady's voice was unnaturally calm, but struggling, I saw it—his hand hanging at his side, knuckles white as death, nails digging deep into his palm, tiny beads of blood seeping between his fingers.

"I want you dead!" Marco's voice went shrill and distorted, carrying the madness to destroy everything. "Pick up that fucking gun! Put it to your own head! Now! Let me see if the Sokolov spawn is worth your life!"

My heart nearly stopped. No! He couldn't do this!

"Gennady, don't listen to him!" I screamed with all my strength. "Get out! Just leave!"

He acted like he didn't hear. His gaze fell calmly on the revolver gleaming with cold metal on the ground. Then he stepped forward. Each step landed heavy as if walking on my heart, and I couldn't help but start shaking.

"Good!" Marco laughed triumphantly. "Now pick it up!"

Gennady bent down, fingers touching the cold gun handle. In that moment, I knew I had to act.

My right hand secretly reached toward my sleeve, where I'd hidden the rusty screwdriver from the basement corner. The sharp tip had torn through the sleeve fabric, but Marco hadn't noticed at all, his entire attention focused on Gennady.

But Gennady saw it. He stared at my right hand, green pupils suddenly contracting.

"Raise it! Aim at your temple!" Marco commanded, trembling with excitement.

Gennady and I locked eyes as he slowly raised the gun, the barrel slowly turning toward his own head.

Marco's breathing grew more rapid with excitement, his arm around me loosening just a fraction.

Gennady's breathing suddenly quickened. "Cassie!"

Now!

With all my strength, I stabbed the screwdriver backward!

The sharp, rust-covered metal tip sank deep into flesh! Hot liquid instantly sprayed out, wetting the back of my hand!

"Bitch!!!" An inhuman, heart-rending scream erupted from Marco's throat! His restraining arm instinctively loosened as he clutched his abdomen, the whole person staggering back a step!

The suffocating pressure vanished instantly! As fresh air rushed into my lungs, my survival instinct drove my body! I pitched forward, struggling to move, just wanting to get my baby away from this storm's center.

In that lightning-fast gap of less than two seconds—

Gennady moved!