AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Once again, Volkov. I couldn’t care less.”
I scanned the charred room, noticing Diego crushed under a section of the ceiling. Volkov laughed when he obviously noticed my gaze.
“What a shame. Your lieutenant seemed like a capable man.”
“Let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”
“Ah, but she does. Isn’t that right,prekrasnyy tsvetok?” he whispered as he pulled her closer.
I kept both hands on the weapon as I took careful steps closer. Another volley of gunfire brought a smile to his face.
A crackle drew my attention, the fire continuing in other parts of the house. The structure wasn’t sound. I had to get everyone the hell out of here.
“My soldiers have been busy.”
“As have mine,” I hissed.
“I assume that my good friends hired you to kill me. Yes?”
I wasn’t surprised by his question. “A man worth killing.”
“All because of a misunderstanding, a business deal that failed,” he said, every word calculated.
“Don’t listen to him, Kostya. It’s all because of his inheritance.” As soon as Emily blurted out the accusation, he bristled, squeezing his arm around her neck.
“You should learn your place, little girl.” Volkov was furious with her words.
“I’m assuming my brother wouldn’t like learning of my existence.” Out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement under the debris. It was possible Diego was alive. There was a younger brother, although I still couldn’t believe we were related.
“My real son, an honorable young man.”
I laughed, darting a second look toward the floor. “Then he must not be following in your footsteps. Tell me, Russian pig, what did you do to my mother?”
He grinned, yanking Emily further in front of him. “It’s simple. I had her killed. She meant nothing to me, a whore who deceived me by getting pregnant. She believed she could trap me into marriage. Unfortunately, you survived.”
That’s the moment that I almost succumbed to my anger. To think Vladimir had killed my mother then dumped me in an orphanage was disgusting, but then to hire me to do his dirty work was unacceptable. I did what I could to calm my fury, realizing this was nothing more than a game of Russian roulette.
I sensed several of my soldiers outside. The Russian wasn’t getting away. All that he could hope to accomplish was ending my life or hers. I couldn’t take the chance he’d make the wrong decision. This had to be played carefully.
“The past is the past, Volkov. I’m only concerned with the present. Your plans for assassinating the members of the consortium will not be allowed.” I couldn’t care less about what happened to the members of the consortium. This remained personal. The money meant nothing.
He was too busy gloating to notice that Diego was not only very much alive but had been listening to every word.
I smiled, taking another slight shift closer. “Today is a good day for you to die.”
In my world, precise timing was everything. Unfortunately, interference often led to damning situations. The second I was ready to squeeze the trigger, another portion of the ceiling caved in on top of me.
As I took the shot, I was pitched to the floor, winded but struggling immediately, tossing debris away.
I heard her scream, then a hard thud.
More shots were fired from close proximity.
As I threw the last bit of shrapnel away, I heard footsteps.
“Kostya!” she gasped, immediately lunging in my direction, out of Diego’s arms. The man had saved her life when I couldn’t.
I took several gasping breaths as I yanked her against my chest. “You’re safe, baby. I swear to God.” I scanned the perimeter, the gun still in my hand as I swung my arm back and forth.
