NIKOLAI
Not words. Just the chains rattling. His body wound so f*****g tight he was shaking.
Viktor's smirk deepened. He heard it too.
"You fought last time too, remember?" His voice was light, teasing, like this was just some story between them. "Didn't change a f*****g thing."
Claude sucked in a breath. Quiet. Too quiet.
And something inside me snapped.
I lifted the gun and pulled the trigger.
Viktor stilled and then he f*****g smiled.
"Forgot it was empty?" He tsked, shaking his head. "And here I thought you were supposed to be dangerous."
The chains rattled again—sharp, jerking. Claude was struggling. I didn't turn around. I couldn't. Because if I saw his face—if I saw the fear, the pain— I might stop thinking entirely.
Viktor rolled his shoulders, crack
