“Illyin, I am genuinely happy. I know it’s crazy. I know it’s not your ideal version of the life I should have, but what does it matter if I’mhappy?”
“This is…” he says, looking down at the ground. “This isn’t right,” he finishes quietly.
“It’s right for me,” I tell him.
Illyin shakes his head. “I want nothing to do with him,” he says, glancing at Anton.
“But I do. I want to spend my life with him. I love him. It’s real.”
He shakes his head again and lowers his arm until his gun is hanging at his side and his finger is no longer on the trigger.
I walk towards my brother, and he holds his hand up to stop me. “Don’t,” he mutters darkly. “I don’t…I can’t…just don’t come near me.”
“Illyin,” I murmur his name, tears stinging my eyes. “I’m still me,” I whimper.
“Yeah. I know. And fine. You can choose whatever you want. But it doesn’t mean I have to be happy about it.”
Illyin slides his gun into the holster sitting over his ribs.
The room is still tense, still waiting as though there is a countdown for a bomb.
“That’s it?” Gusec blurts out furiously. “That’s not what we were promised, Toloff!”
“It’s over, Pavel,” Illyin says.
“No, it’s fuckingnotover! Not until we see Anton’s lifeless body like you fucking promised!”
Gusev Pavel and his men all turn towards Anton at the same time. They all raise their weapons.
Everything happens in the blink of an eye.
I’m staring at my brother in disbelief.
Someone grabs me from behind.
Bullets explode around me.
Gusev’s men start dropping to the floor like flies falling from the air.
There is screaming and shouting and chaos as Anton pulls me into the folds of his security team, behind the protective line of Josiah’s men.
“Move out!” Josiah shouts over the gunfire still piercing the air.
Anton shoves me into a car.
Through the haze of confusion and chaos, I see my brother running towards his car.
“Illyin!” I shout for him, but he doesn’t hear me. I watch as he dives into his car. He is unharmed; he is my brother. I still want to talk to him, to make him understand. I want him to know that I love him, and I don’t want to lose him.
“Keep your head down,” Anton shouts, starting the engine of his car.
I duck low, in a daze, doing as I’m told.
The car pulls out; tires crunch on gravel. There is no more shooting.
I hear other cars. Engines starting, tires skidding.
We’re on the road now.
