PRESENT
After narrating, Maximus burst into laughter, his voice echoing around the room.
“Who would have thought the dumbass would end up marrying my daughter?” An evil grin spread across his lips.
Tatiana’s mind was blank. Cassius had his first kill at thirteen?! That was a blow.
She had witnessed Cassius’s rough side before-the day he almost killed Zero with his bare hands and how he had tortured Nathan.
“You’re not after me, you’re after him,” Tatiana said, finally understanding Maximus’s intention.
“Good girl.”
“What made you like this?” she asked in a whisper.
“The world,” he replied.
“The world? What the heck do you want?” She asked the question that had been bothering her.
“Power. All I ever wanted was power. I want every man and woman to shrink in fear whenever they hear my name,” Maximus smirked.
“You’re a psycho. Why do you want power so badly that you’d use your own daughter?” Tatiana’s eyes welled up.
“You’ve felt it too, Tatiana. In no time, you won the Best Actress award. How did it feel to have people beneath you, looking up to you, craving your attention? How did it feel to have that power?”
When Tatiana didn’t reply, he continued, “Amazing, right? You wanted more.”
“I’m not like you.”
“The only difference between us is the world. Yours is the entertainment industry, and mine is the mafia. I do illegal things to build my empire. My name is now spreading all over the world, and soon, my son will take over. I just need one more step… the Kings.”
“He’ll never join you,” Tatiana muttered as Maximus crouched down before her, drawing his face close.
“Oh yes, he will. He has many weaknesses. His friends, his mother, you, and my grandson, Dylan.”
Tatiana’s hand flew to his face, delivering a swift slap. “Do not touch any of them.”
A vein in Maximus’s jaw twitched, his eyes blazing with anger as he stood, staring down at her. “If you think Cassius is going to beat me, then you shouldn’t daydream. I know he’s not an easy opponent, especially with Holden, his grandfather, by his side. But I’ll make him beg me to stop hunting him down.
“Getting married to you was the dumbest thing he ever did. Love only destroys, which is why I never let it touch me. You and your sisters are just pawns in a game… and like I said, pawns are meant to be sacrificed.”
Tatiana’s throat went dry. “What are you going to do with me?”
“I want to send a gift to Cassius. A lovely one. Let’s see how fast your husband can save you,” Maximus said, raising his voice. “Bring it over!”
Several men walked in, and Tatiana’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing?” She tried to stand, but they grabbed her. She punched one in the face but received a blow in return.
Her strength almost overcame the two men, but then Maximus roared for more men to come in.
“Let go of me!” she yelled as they overpowered her. They pinned her head to the floor. One of them pressed against her wound, and she cried out. Her teary eyes settled on Maximus, who stood with his arms folded, watching her.
She felt a sharp object pierce her neck, gasping at the sensation of the fluid being injected. It was strikingly hot, making her skin break out in goosebumps.
The injection was removed, and she was released.
She sat up, clutching her neck, her gaze questioning Maximus.
“Here’s the antidote,” Maximus said, dropping a small box with an injection onto the table, some distance from her.
Antidote?!
Had they just injected her with poison?
She tried to stand, but her body suddenly felt like water as the effects struck her. She collapsed, gasping.
“I wonder what good news you’d prefer to hear. Is it about your husband or the poison? Well, I guess you’d prefer to know about your husband. Cassius King is in Spain. He’ll come running to save you soon.”
Tatiana felt Maximus’s fingers brushing her loose hair back to see her face.
“The pain will serve as punishment for running away from your wedding and defying me. Adios.”
Tatiana heard his footsteps fade and the door close. She used every ounce of strength to look up at the antidote. It was several feet away.
She tried to move her body, but she couldn’t. The poison would soon reach the next stage, and she knew it would be hellish.
She managed to move a little but looked up again. She couldn’t make it, not when her bones felt like water.
When the poison struck, Tatiana cried out in pain. Tears streamed down her face. Hope shattered.
Dylan. Cassius.
Would she ever see them again?
She didn’t know how long she had been crying. Every second was pure agony.
She tried to hold on and wait. There was still hope. Cassius would come for her. She couldn’t die!
She just couldn’t!
Her son, her husband, her sisters, those women, and her friends needed her.
Her senses went numb, and her breath slowly halted.
—
It was at that moment Cassius stormed in and found her. He recognized the scent of poison on her.
“Wait. No, no, no,” he shook his head.
The poison was normally used on enemies to torture them until they gave up. Why the hell had Maximus used it on his own daughter?!
“She’s not breathing!” Cassius yelled, his voice frantic. His eyes darted around the room and settled on the small box, just feet away.
The antidote.
He rushed to grab it and injected it into her neck. He prayed he wasn’t too late. He’d go insane if he lost her.
Blowing air into her mouth, Cassius used both hands to press on her chest. The antidote was said to work in seconds to clear the poison.
“Wake up, please,” Cassius’s voice trembled. He hadn’t even realized tears were slipping from his eyes.
“Rebel!” Cassius blew more air into her mouth and pressed on her chest again.
A light gasp escaped Tatiana’s lips, her eyes half-opened.
“Fuck,” Cassius’s voice broke, his eyes flashing with relief. He immediately took her in his arms and hugged her tightly.
“Cash…” her voice was barely a whisper.
“I’m here,” he ran his fingers through her messy hair and kissed her forehead gently.
“I’m here, Rebel,” he whispered again.