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“Now Misha swoops in to buy out Konstantin’s business endeavors using his own money,” Dimitri explains. “A classic corporate takeover. Well, almost.”
“Big business really is a lot like crime, huh?” she comments.
Pyotr snorts. “Commentary of the year, ladies and gents.”
Nicolai raises a finger, halting our conversation. His brows furrow as he reads an incoming message on his phone. “We’ve got a problem.”
“What is it?” I snap.
“I’m not sure if this information is one-hundred percent reliable, but it sounds like Konstantin is trying to make a run for it.”
My brothers look to me, seeking direction. I’m not surprised Konstantin would try to flee Russia. Without access to his money, he doesn’t have access to protection. Without access to protection, his enemies—those who are even bigger than my brothers and me—will be after him like rabid dogs. A part of me wants to let him go. Let him run with his tail between his legs.
But then I look at Aurora, my eyes trailing down to her baby bump.Ourchild.
We might have Konstantin on the run and fearing for his life, but what if he comes back one day to enact his revenge? What if he races off somewhere, recollects himself, and returns to avenge all he’s lost just as me and my brothers have? It would be a bloodbath. And my child and darling one could be caught in the crossfire. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take—not now, not ever.
“Do we know which airport?” I ask.
Nicolai is quiet for a moment, scanning the information. “My source says it’s a smaller airfield just southwest of Moscow. It looks like he borrowed a jet from a business associate of his. Current flight destination is unknown.”
“We need to stop him from leaving the country,” I proclaim. “Who knows what kind of damage he might cause if we let him out of our sights.”
Dimitri and Pyotr are already headed out the door.
“We’ll bring the car around,” Dimitri says.
“And I’ll load the guns,” Pyotr adds.
“We’reallgoing,” Luka says determinedly.
Aurora quickly shifts out of her seat. “Me, too.”
I shake my head. “No, you’re staying here.”
She frowns. “Hell no.”
“Aurora, I’m not going to tell you again. This is dangerous.”
“Where you go, I go,” she says firmly. Aurora takes my hand, looking deep into my eyes. I can tell she’s going to fight me on this no matter how many times I tell her no. “Please, Mikhail. I’ll stay out of the way.”
I sigh. We’re running out of time. “Fine,” I grumble. “But you are to sit in the back seat, and you have to do exactly as I say.”
“I promise.”
“Good. Now, everybody get in the car!”
* * *
The airport is a small one, intended for domestic cargo planes instead of large commercial flights. There are several hangars lined up along one side of the strip, their doors thrown wide open to reveal the series of smaller Cessnas and other propeller planes. On the landing strip sits an Eclipse 550 jet, its sleek silver engines already roaring and ready for take-off.
Konstantin must be onboard.
Pyotr drives our vehicle right up to the strip just as the jet starts to taxi, picking up speed as it prepares to fly. The pilot of the jet swerves the entire plane around our vehicle, continuing to barrel down the runway with alarming urgency.
Unfortunately, that’s the least of our concerns. A group of armed men storm out of the hangars, firing their automatic weapons at our car. They were lying in wait for us—my uncle’s last defense against us.
Pyotr stomps on the brakes. The whole vehicle screeches to an abrupt halt. As quick as lightning, we all get out and use the car’s surface area as a shield. It’s not going to hold, but at least it’s something.
