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"Oh, that's the difficult way," I say as he ties Justina to the chair in Via's basement. He pulls on it, making sure that it won't loosen easily. Justina glares at the both of us then she screams as loud as she can.

Nick and I remain unbothered as she continues screaming. "Ahh! Let me out of here you disgusting pricks!" She yells at us and tries to get out of her chair but fails.

"Someone help me!" She continues screaming.

I cringe as I watch her, "Shh, no one can hear you, Justina. These walls are soundproof, Via's mom did it when Via got her first drum set." I say.

She glares lasers at me and now that I know the truth about her, and what a terrible person she is, I don't falter. "We know what you did, Justina and we're here for some answers," I say.

She plays dumb, "I have no clue what any of you are talking about. Your highness, help me," she gives Nick puppy eyes.

He smirks, "Why would I help a liar?"

Her stature falters but she regains it, "Why do you think I'm a liar, I'm pregnant with your baby and you won't man up to it."

"You and I both know that we only kissed once, nothing more," He says.

Fire dances in her eyes as she keeps her composure. "That's not true," she says.

"We have the documents, Justina!" Nick loses his composure and pulls out copies of the documents, "We know for a fact that you're faking your pregnancy for something your parents roped you into."

Her act falls and her sad facade falls. Her eyes fill with cruelty and her lips turn up into a wicked smile. "Well, what are you gonna do now? Kill me? Because if you two are smart enough to figure it out, then you know you can't do that. This is way bigger than me."

Nikolai kneels in front of her. "I know, that's why we're here. Who's President? Tell us who he is and when this thing ends you won't go to prison." He stares deep into her eyes and for a moment it seems as if she was going to tell us.

"No. What's the fun in that? I have to say, your highness, it was nice drawing your attention to the ball. This entire thing has been fun, but I'm afraid it's done for you. I never meant for you to get in this, Adara. You are nice but you made your choices and I made mine."

Nick glances at me then he stands and places both hands on the arms of the chair, boxing her in. He stares into her eyes. Fear flicks through her eyes. "Tell me who the president is," his voice drops an octave and becomes sultry. Her eyes grow wide and her pupils dilate as she takes in everything he says like gospel truth.

His voice repeats itself throughout the room even though he isn't speaking. His voice speaks fast, dangerously slow then so rapidly I cover my ears. Justina breathes so fast it looks as if she's having a panic attack.

His repeated voice goes away and Justina calms down. Her wide, dilated eyes hone in on him as if she was hypnotized. "I-I don't know. I never met him, and neither have my parents. We do all our business through Claire, a vampire within Sector Six of the mafia." She says, her voice relaxed.

"Does Claire know who he is?" I ask.

Justina doesn't look at me but she shakes her head, "I think she's talked with him but doesn't know who he is or what he looks like. You don't want to find him, he's scary. Terrifying really."

Nick and I look at one another, "We're not gonna get anything worthwhile out of her." I say, giving up on this endeavor.

"You're right, but we may get some evidence of her lies." He says, fishing out his phone from his pocket.

"What happened between us the night of that ball?" He asks then he presses record.

Her head rolls back then she looks at him with the same relaxed, hypnotized expression. "We danced then you took me to the balcony to see the fireworks. You and I kissed then you stepped back saying that you thought I was your soulmate but was wrong. You left me there then I went home, upset."

He stops recording and places his phone back into his pocket. I look at him with questions swirling in my mind. "Why did you think she was your soulmate? How does one know that?" I whisper to him.

He glances at me then looks away uncomfortably. He rubs the back of his neck and clears his throat. "Umm..." He stutters.

"He thought it might be me since he was told years ago that his soulmate would be the opposite of his ex-girlfriend, whom he killed," Justina answers instead.

Nikolai flinches at her words and avoids my gaze. Did he truly kill his ex-girlfriend? Why? I thought it was a lie made up by Claire to work against him. However, even his father, the king, agreed that he killed his ex. It can't be true, but everything's pointing in the direction that it is.

"Shut up." He tells her then he presses his thumb deep into the center of her head and she passes out.

I look at him in shock, "What did you do?"

"I put her to sleep. She'll wake in a few hours with no recollection of this moment." He says then he unties her from the chair and carries her back to her room.

Leaving me in the basement, my thoughts surround and taunt me like demons vying to be freed from hell. He killed his ex-girlfriend, murdered many people in the past, and did even more terrible things. People don't change so why would he? The most terrible prince in the history of the world?

I put the chair back where it was before then I walk out of the basement, making sure to close the door. I turn around from locking the door and a yelp rips out of my throat. Nikolai places his arms on my shoulder to calm me down.

"It's just me." He says quietly.

My hand falls on his upper arm as I take a breath. "Sorry."

He looks at me and doesn't break his stare. In the dark, we stare at one another and the night's excitement brings back what happened earlier at the dance. We kissed. His lips had caressed mine most intimately and amazingly I've ever felt.

The moon shining through the window allows me to see certain facial features of his. His glittering eyes lower to my lips and his hand on my shoulder lowers to my waist. Bringing me closer to him, I pull him close also. My back lightly hits the wall and he blocks the moon's gleaming light.

In a swift motion, his lips touch mine, and my arms wrap around his neck. Standing straight, my feet lift off the floor and his arms enclose my back. Like picking flowers in the blooming spring, feeling that first fall of snow on my shoulder, or skipping outside after the rain, that feeling spreads throughout my entire body like wildfire. I'm drawn to him as a moth is too light, I want to get closer but I don't in fear of being destroyed.

A part of me wishes to fully indulge in our kiss but knowing what he's done and who he is, I stop myself. His tongue searches every part of me so deeply it's as if he wants to know me more than anyone can.

We pull away and my feet touch the ground once more. Our stare lingers on one another and I fish for something to say but nothing comes out. "Adara, I—" He starts but his phone rings.

Digging around in his pocket, he takes it out and answers the call. From the way, his face falls and jaw hardens, I'm assuming it's not a person he likes. "Okay." He bites out.

He hangs up the phone and then puts it back in his pocket. Letting out a sigh he runs his hand through his hair. "I have to go," he says.

Confusion sets in, "Why? What happened? Who was that?" The questions bleed out of me.

He looks away from me, "No one, but I must go. I'll see you tomorrow, I promise." He kisses me on my forehead then he disappears.

A bad feeling sets in me. Something tells me he won't be seeing me tomorrow.