Fatal Princess by Ella Miles
Ri
I tried to listen to the men when they all stated they were the ones for me. Several insisted they were the best choice because they were the most vicious, cruel man around—not exactly what I wanted to hear. Some said they were madly in love.
Ryker was harsh and controlling with his words. He pretended to think of me as nothing more than a possession, something to control. He said we both have a role to play, and he knew his. Everything he said was the complete opposite of the man I knew.
Caius ignored my advice. Instead of acting like Ryker, Caius was sweet, charming, a love-sick boy who professed his love for me.
And Beckett was…honest, devastatingly honest.
Why did he come?
He should have just quit; now there’s a strong chance he’ll die for what he just said.
There has to be a reason Beckett came; I just can’t figure out what it is. I can’t figure out anything when it comes to him.
“So, who wins and who loses?” Kek asks us.
I stare at Vincent, unsure of what happens next. There was no obvious culprit who hurt Lucy, but someone here did.
“What do you think, Ri?” Vincent asks.
“I honestly don’t know who hurt Lucy, and that’s all I care about at the moment. Not professions of love. Not who is the strongest, badass guy around. I just want to punish whoever hurt Lucy; the rest can live.”
Vincent nods. “It’s not about killing the right person. It’s about setting an example that we won’t tolerate this. We will kill until we get answers.”
I frown as a tear slips. “It matters to me.”
“We’ll make sure the right person pays, but for now, we just need to show our power.”
I look at him, knowing what happens next. “Who do you want me to kill?”
“Three, any three.”
I stare him down, shocked he’s giving me this power.
“They’re all armed. What do I do when they retaliate?”
“They won’t. We’ll make it clear we have evidence of them scheming together to kill Lucy. It will stop them from working together in the future against us.”
I’m not sure it will, but I need to know who killed Lucy.
“You’ll let me do this my way? I’ll kill whoever I think is responsible for Lucy’s death?”
“You have my word. Show them how strong you are. Show them what won’t be tolerated.”
“What’s changed? Why do I no longer have to play the princess part?”
“We are close to the end, and I need the men to see who you truly are.”
I look to Kek, a man I fear. A man who can wipe my memories in a single second—I may need him to after what I’m about to do.
“How do I get them to confess?” I ask.
Kek has tortured me, and I’m sure countless others. He knows how to pull confessions out of people.
He smirks. “You already know how.”
I frown, not really sure what he’s saying.
“If everyone could line up against the wall, we’d like to announce the winners,” Vincent announces.
The men stand casually and walk to a wall to be picked as the winner. Only a couple seem weary. Ryker, Caius, and Beckett all know what’s about to happen, but they do as they’re asked. I doubt they will fight their fates. All of them are prepared to die.
Kek, Vincent, and I take our time standing and walking over in front of them.
“Rialta will do the announcing of winners. Rialta,” Vincent says, giving me the floor.
Two of the guys give me a flirtatious wink; I ignore them.
“Listen up,” I snap with my full voice, and I know I’ve got their full attention. “My best friend, Lucy, was seriously injured. Right now, she’s unconscious, fighting for her life.” My voice pours with pain and desperation.
I walk up and down the line, staring at each of them. “I’m giving you one chance. If you know anything about who hurt Lucy, tell me now.”
I continue to walk up and down the line of men. I stare at Ryker, Caius, Beckett. One of them has to know something. One of them might have even been the one to hurt her.
A man, I think his name is Nigel, steps forward from the line. I don’t know much about him, except he’s a cruel man. From the speech he gave me, he doesn’t think highly of women.
I don’t hesitate.
I pull my gun and fire into his chest.
I watch the shock appear on his face, the whites in his eyes grow wider, and then he falls hard to the ground.
No one moves.
I expect them all to reach for their guns. I expect an all-out war to start. Vincent was right, though—show my power, and they all fear me.
“Anyone else have anything to say about what happened to Lucy?” I ask.
No one moves a muscle.
I’m not sure what I should do next.
I turn, and Vincent looks at me sternly, egging me on. If I don’t choose more to kill, he will, and that scares the shit out of me.
I grab Kek’s arm, and we take a step back, far enough away from the line that they can’t hear me.
“I don’t know what to do,” I say.
Kek looks at me. “And you’re asking me? The guy you fear more than anything?”
“I don’t fear you, not anymore.”
I look over my shoulder and see Beckett out of the corner of my eye. He’s the only man I care to save, even if it kills me.
“Is he a good man?” Kek asks me, talking about Beckett.
“The best.” Even if he doesn’t always seem like it, I know who he is deep down.
“Then he can never be yours.”
I turn, staring back at Kek. “What do you mean?”
He sighs. “You have to give him up.”
“What if I can’t?” I whisper, tears coming, assuming he means give him up to Odette.
“Kill him now if you can’t give him up. He’ll never be yours.”
It’s the most honest thing anyone has ever said to me.
He puts his fingers under my chin and looks deep into my eyes. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re strong enough to give him up, strong enough to let him live with another.”
I blink back my tears, refusing to cry.
“I need you to erase my memories. Erase him completely from my head. That’s the only way I’ll survive watching him with another woman.”
Kek looks at me sadly. “I already tried and failed. Even when I erased the best of him, you still loved him.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“You need to kill two more men.”
“I don’t know how to choose.”
“You do. You know exactly who your greatest threats are. You know who hurt Lucy. You know. Deep down, you know.”
I run my hand through my hair. I do, but…can I do it?
We walk back toward the line of men, and I look at each of them again.
Ryker looks bored.
Caius looks concerned.
Beckett looks at peace, ready to die.
Two more men have to die.
I know exactly which two.
Then Kek whispers in my ear the phrase I hate. But this time I’m thankful because he gives me everything back. “Kill all those who are a threat to you and trust your gut.”
I know which two have to die.
Both deaths are hard.
But one I know to be a sinner. He’s hurt me time and time again.
The other, I’m just realizing how much of a saint he is.
Both are threats to me.
Both have to die.
I thought one didn’t love me.
I was wrong.
And now two people are going to die for my mistake.
I lift my gun and fire twice.
Two lives have ended.
And I’ll never be the same again.
Thank you so much for reading Fatal Princess! Ri and Beckett’s story continues in Tortured Hero.
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