Page 67 of Russian Rescue

“Please, I’ll help you,” Dima said. “I’ll help you get what you need.”

I kept my gun pointed at Dima but slowly rolled off him. Together we rose to standing.

“Thank you. Thank you for not killing me,” Dima said. “I’ll help you.”

For a moment, pride swelled inside of me that I’d made the right decision. I’d chosen to spare a man’s life, and now he would be my ally.

Then I saw his gaze flick to my gun.

Shit was all I could think before he swung his arm and knocked it from my hand. I shot forward to grab him, but he leaped out of the way and landed beside my gun. As he rolled out of my reach and picked up my weapon, I cursed myself for not trusting Knox and Piper’s experience and killing him quickly when I had the chance.

I reached for the knife hidden in my sock but stopped when I saw my own gun pointing straight at me.

“Help!” Dima shouted so loudly I knew any guards on the floor could hear him. “In here! Help!”

“Fuck,” Piper ground out. “I’m on my way, Wes. Don’t fucking die on me, dammit!”

I didn’t answer while I stood with my hands up. Hopefully, he would think I was here alone, and Piper could get here in time to save me.

Dima’s innocent eyes transformed into narrowed, predatory slits as he gestured for me to drop my knife.

“You lied,” I growled out in Russian as my weapon clanked to the floor. “I spared your life, and you lied.”

“Sorry.” He shrugged. “I don’t like admitting that I need help, because I’m the best hacker in Russia, but I can’t get through to get the codes like I know you can.”

“Fuck you, Dima,” I spat out. “I’m not helping your second-rate ass do shit.”

Dima smirked. “Oh, you will. You’re going to help us get those codes and fulfill our mission.” Dima moved to his walkie-talkie and picked it up, “I need help in the computer room. He’s here. The hacker is here. Bring Petro.” When he turned back to look at me, he shrugged. “I did what I had to do. And now you’ll do what we tell you.”

“I’m going to kill you,” I answered. “And this time, I won’t hesitate.”

Dima smirked. “You won’t get a chance. Now sit your ass down, and we’ll wait for Petro to get here. Then you’re going to do exactly what we tell you.”

There was no escape now.

Shit.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Piper

––––––––

Stupid. So, so stupid. Wes was so stupid not to kill that man, I thought as I belly crawled through the vents. But Wes wasn’t stupid. He was kind. Good. Caring. And that was exactly the reason I felt all those stupid, dumb emotions for him.

The stupid one in this situation was me. I was stupid to let him do this. He wasn’t ready, and I let his optimism and his excitement undo years of good sense and training. I should have known this plan wouldn’t work, but I’d let him convince me.

But what was most stupid was the fact I’d let myself feel something so deep for him, so intense, and now I could lose him. Or maybe the worst part was that I hadn’t told him how I felt even when he’d begged, even when the words nearly burned their way out of my mouth as I fought to keep them in. Maybe that was the dumbest part of all of this.

That realization slammed into me like a grenade. I did love Wes. I loved the man who’d been at my side through all the years, making me laugh, making me feel safe, making me feel things inside I never thought I’d be capable of. Not once had he abandoned me in all our years together, and deep down, I knew he never would. My mind nearly exploded with visions of a life I’d never imagined I could have... a life filled with laughter at the side of an incredible man. A true partner. A life that could be mine if I could just get up there and save him and somehow find a way to overcome my fears and tell him my truth. The truth that I loved him. With my whole being, I loved him.

“Shit,” Knox cut in. “Not only have they killed Wes’s comms, but I’ve lost cameras, Piper. Dima must have done something, and I’m not Wes. I have no idea how to get them back.”

And now I was blind.

Fuck.

“I’ll be fine. I’m almost at the vent exit where Wes went out. I’ll be okay.”