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“Move!”

We surge through the entrance.

The sound of gunfire erupts around us as my men engage the guards inside. I barely register any of it. I’m searching, looking for my wife.

Then I see her—she’s standing across the room, and Katerina has a gun pressed against her head. Everything inside me stops. Then my vision turns red.

“Aurora!”

Her head snaps toward me. “Roman.”

Her voice breaks. She’s been crying. Her face is streaked with tears, and something inside my chest cracks at the sight. A dead Luca is lying a couple of feet away.

“Baby.” I take one careful step forward.

“Don’t move,” Katerina snaps.

I stop immediately. “It’s okay,” I tell Aurora, keeping my eyes on her. “I’m here. I’m going to get you out of here.”

Katerina laughs bitterly. “Oh, how sweet.”

Her gun presses harder against Aurora’s temple. “I’m glad you could join us, Roman. You made it just in time to watch your baby”—she makes air quotes with her free hand—“take her last breath.”

“Katerina, you don’t have to do this.”

“Oh, I absolutely do.”

“What do you want?”

She laughs. “You. And Bratva.”

I keep my expression calm. “You know you’re never getting any of this.”

Her face crumples. “Exactly.” Her voice cracks. “So if I can’t be happy, you don’t get to be happy either.”

She presses the gun against Aurora again. I force myself to breathe and remain calm.

“Katerina, listen to me. We can talk about this. Whatever happened, whatever you think I did, we can work it out. Just put the gun down.”

“Don’t you get it? There is nothing to work out!” Her eyes are wild. “I tried, Roman. God, I tried. I tried to become the woman you deserved.”

“But nothing I do is ever good enough.” She swallows hard. “Not for my father. Not for my brother. And clearly not for you.”

“Katerina—”

“Why won’t you choose me?” Her eyes fill with tears. “What is wrong with me?”

I keep my movements slow. “You’re not thinking clearly.”

“Don’t tell me what I’m thinking!” She points the gun away from Aurora for half a second, then brings it back. My heart nearly stops.

“Katerina,” I say quietly. “Put the gun down.”

She stares at me. “Why her? What’s so special about her? What does she have that I don’t? Why would you choose her?”

I take another careful step. “Just put the gun down and we’ll talk.”

For a moment, something changes in her expression.