Page 95 of Barinov

“Well,” I say, winking at Callie. “Looks like the master plan just flew out the window.”

♥♥♥

“You bloody bastard!” Callie’s brother, Leith, mouths off again.

The guys are tall, blond, and annoying as hell. I’d take dealing with Barinov ten times over before having to spend one more second with Mr. Proper and his damn shadow, Dr. Anthony. We get it dude, you went to med school. Chill.

“We should just go back there, grab Charlotte, and get the hell out of here,” Leith continues.

“There are six of us and at least—”

“Seven,” Callie corrects.

“Six,” I scorn. “You’re staying here.”

She rolls her eyes but I don’t give a shit.

“There are twelve of them that we can see and we have no clue how many more we can’t. We go back there, guns blazing,” I say, hand pointed toward the stage where a brunette in orange is being auctioned off. “One of you’ll get shot. Then I’m going to have to carry your ass plus your little sister’s back out. No thank you.”

“Also,” Kenji adds. “We need Chang alive.”

“Alive?” Leith huffs. “Why the hell would we let that monster live to see another day?”

“Because I have—”

“Quit the shit, both of you!” Nate yells over the comms. “And for Christ’s sake, keep your voices down! We can’t have you two bitching at the bar and alerting security.”

Leith gets up in a rush and struts off.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I ask.

“The loo,” he says over his shoulder. “Unless you want to hold it for me.”

We sit in silence as a few more girls get auctioned off. Meilin is still nowhere in sight.

“I don’t think she’s here, Laing,” Khoza mutters. “I’m sorry, bru, but we need to—.”

BANG.

BANG. BANG.

Screaming rips through the Lotus Market. Chairs overturn and golden paddles fly. A few crystal glasses shatter against the marble floor as high heels and dress shoes stomp for the exits.

The girl in the blue cocktail dress from earlier barrels past us, crying and barefoot with blood on her shoulder. Another one in a green dress slips and slams her hip into a table. Her hands are zip-tied. She’s searching and yelling for someone named Michelle.

“Callie, get down!” I scream, shoving her down behind the bar as a guard opens fire toward the fleeing girls.

The one in the green dress gets hit in the thigh, she wails as she falls to the ground.

“Stay here!” I order, shooting toward the guard.

“They’re trying to escape!” someone yells in Mandarin.

Gunfire bursts back near the stage. A blonde in a purple dress drops. Then another in red.

Kenji throws his jacket over the bleeding girl in green and pushes her toward the hallway. Khoza’s already got one of the other guards in a chokehold.

“Where’s Leith?” I roar.