Half Empty (First Wives, #2)(92)

He moved out of reach. “Your brother shared your loyalty to the pizdas who bore you.” Ruslan held up his arm, showing a scar that spread from his wrist to midforearm. “No one cuts me and lives.”

Sasha managed a fist to his face and went in for more.

He ducked and came up fast with both hands to her neck.

Air immediately stopped entering her lungs.

She twisted, attempted to make space.

He held on tighter.

Don’t panic.

Her legs were in motion, her blows reaching him, but he didn’t let go.

The room started to dim.

“My only regret is not taking Alice out when I had the chance.”

Her struggles started to fade . . . a little more pressure and her windpipe would shatter.

This wasn’t going to happen. All this work, and she was going out because of his hold on her neck.

Her lungs burned and her body lost its fight.

The room exploded in sound and her frame fell to the floor.

Sasha gasped in several pained breaths as her eyes fell on the man who shared her DNA. He was lying against the wall, his shirt quickly soaking in his blood.

A uniformed security guard stood over her.

She met Ruslan’s eyes as he took his last breath.

Sasha hung her head between her stretched-out arms and attempted to stand.

Reed swept in behind her and helped her up.

“Took you long enough,” she choked out.

He looked at her neck, and her face. “We need a medic!”





Chapter Thirty-Two

Trina stood on the tarmac as the private jet rolled to a stop and the small gangway lowered.

The Texas sun blazed down as the wind whipped her hair around her face. Dark sunglasses covered her tired eyes, hiding the circles that makeup couldn’t manage.

The media was out of reach, but that didn’t mean their lenses wouldn’t capture this moment.

Jeb walked down the stairs first and stood at the bottom as Wade filled the doorway.

Trina held her breath and waited for him to see her. When he did, he skipped a step and opened his arms.

She ran into them.

Her lips found his, his hat fell off.

He was alive, and whole . . .

She pulled away. “I thought I was going to lose you.”

“Shh, not done kissing you yet.”

Okay, she could work with that.

When she squeezed his waist, he winced. “Easy, darlin’.”

Her hands rubbed over his rib cage, felt a bandage in place. She started to pull at his clothing. “They said you were fine.”

Wade brushed her hands away. “Couple tiny fractures.”

“You’re broken?” No one told her that.

“Just a rib or two. Simmer down. I’m fine.”

“Wade Michael Thomas, you told me you were fine.”

He chuckled as he reached down to slowly pick up his hat. “Oh, the middle name. I find that strangely sexy, coming from you.”

“Let’s get you home.”

“Are we bomb free?” he asked as she limped him to the waiting car.

“Yes, they found one at my gate and one in your garage.”

“I heard.” Wade climbed in first and Trina followed.

The car drove them from the small airport directly to Wade’s ranch, where Trina planned on staying until he kicked her out.

“How is your mom?”

“She’s a pretty strong woman.”

“If it wasn’t for me—”

“Don’t.” Wade placed a finger over her lips. “My mother had no business in Vegas. If it wasn’t her, Ruslan would have taken someone else. Jordyn, one of the guys in the band. The end result would have been the same.”

“But your mom. She’s never going to accept me now.”

“She isn’t going to be given a choice.”

Trina squeezed in close, felt the weight of Wade’s arm over her shoulders.

“How is Sasha?”

Wade rested his head against the back of the seat. “Couldn’t really tell ya. According to Reed, who technically didn’t show up until the police were standing over Ruslan’s body, Sasha answered the questions the police asked, and then AWOLed from the ER before her X-rays were read.”

“That’s crazy, he almost killed her.”

“She had every reason to kill him.” Wade had heard the entire conversation, right up until the gunshot that ended everything. The microphone Ruslan had used was left on and forgotten, which gave the police everything they needed to pin murder, kidnapping, and blackmail charges on a dead man.

“I wonder if I’ll ever see her again. I have so many questions of my own.”

“Something tells me you will.”

“Is this all really over?”

Wade ran a hand over her hair as she rested it on his shoulder. “Baby, I hope so. I can’t keep up with your level of partying,” he teased.

In the front seat, Jeb laughed once. “Amen to that.”

Trina leaned forward and placed a hand on Jeb’s shoulder. “I didn’t even ask how you were doing.”

“I’m fine. Just fine. In need of a job, if you have any openings. Seems my boss fired me a couple of days ago.”

“What?”