Men like me don’t last.
Both sentences collided in Harper’s chest, brutal and cold, and for a moment all she could see was Pav barefoot, coming for her through too many men because the world had given him every reason not to, and he had come anyway.
Barefoot. Bleeding. Coming for her like nothing on earth would stop him.
Harper pitched her chin higher. “Listen to me. They’re afraid now. That’s what you’re hearing.”
Lena stared at her. Harper dug her fingers into Lena’s shoulders. “I’m right here.”
It wasn’t courage. Courage sounded too clean for what this was. This was terror with its teeth gritted and nowhere left to go but forward. Lena took a shuddering breath. Then another. Her fingers closed around Harper’s wrist.
Harper pulled her up, allowing herself a slow exhale.Thank God.
“Good,” she said. “That’s it. Stay with me.” She offered Lena her hand, and Lena nodded, her fingers closing around Harper’s.
Harper led her back to the front of the group. Olga’s face was impassive. She looked at Lena once more, then turned away. “I’ll cover the rear.”
Frantic Russian carried up from the corridors below. Smoke climbed the stairs in thin, dirty ribbons, bringing with it the sting of cordite and dust.
The school was coming apart at the seams as something ripped through it. A door slammed somewhere below. Harper took hold of the handrail and descended to the half-landing.
Someone shouted and something hit the wall below with bone-jarring force—enough to make the stair rail vibrate under Harper’s hand.
The women froze as one. Olga swore from the rear of the group.
“It’s okay. Stay behind me.” Harper eased Lena behind her and started down the stairs.
A guard staggered into view on the landing, backpedaling fast, blood sprayed across his face. His rifle clattered against the wall. He shouted something Harper didn’t catch, voice high and broken, terror carved into his features.
A man came after him through the shadows. For one terrible second, it was a stranger, and every nerve in her body screamed run.
This man was blood and movement and lethal purpose. Weapon up. Face streaked black with blood, mouth split, eyes flat with focus. Violence had stripped away everything unnecessary and left only the part of him that knew how to end threats.
The guard faltered as the man’s face came fully into the light.
Pav.
Her mind failed to join the pieces together.
Blood.
Smoke.
Those eyes.
The guard tried to run.
Too late.
The shot cracked through the stairwell before the guard finished turning.
Efficient. Final.
The air shifted as the women recoiled. Someone whimpered. Lena’s nails dug painfully into Harper.
Harper froze, some animal instinct reacting to the man coming out of the haze and gunfire below them.
Pav’s head snapped up. His eyes found hers.
