Chapter 9 - The Last Stand
Alina slowly turned her head, her entire body shaking from the freezing cold and absolute terror.
Sloan, the head cook, was standing on the edge of the ice holding a suppressed pistol.
Alina stared at the woman who had helped them escape the garage just an hour ago.
"You played us perfectly," Alina whispered, realizing Sloan had been manipulating everyone from the start.
Sloan offered a sad, completely exhausted smile as she aimed the gun at Damon's motionless body.
She explained that she actually worked for the Russian Bratva, the ultimate rival to the Vulkoff family.
Her orders were simply to wait until Viktor and Damon destroyed each other, then eliminate the survivor.
"I really am sorry, Alina, but this is just business," Sloan said, her finger tightening on the trigger.
Alina threw her body completely over Damon, refusing to let another bullet touch the man she loved.
She closed her eyes tightly, preparing to take the fatal shot for the mafia boss.
A loud gunshot rang out across the frozen lake, completely shattering the silent winter night.
Alina flinched violently, expecting to feel the agonizing pain of a bullet tearing through her chest.
Instead, a heavy thud echoed across the ice as a body collapsed onto the frozen surface.
Alina slowly opened her eyes and looked back toward the edge of the dark shoreline.
Sloan was lying face down on the ice, completely motionless.
Standing in the shallow water, holding a smoking rifle, was Leo.
Her brother had somehow survived the helicopter crash and dragged himself to the shore just in time.
Leo dropped the rifle and fell to his knees, completely exhausted and bleeding from a head wound.
Alina sobbed with relief and immediately turned her desperate attention back to Damon.
She pounded on his chest one last time, begging the universe to give him back to her.
Damon's massive chest violently convulsed, and he coughed up a massive lungful of freezing lake water.
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He opened his dark eyes, instantly reaching up to pull Alina down into a desperate, passionate kiss.
The terrifying nightmare was finally, completely over, and they had survived it all together.
