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Gigi…
My heart thrashes in my chest, guilt clutching my gut.
He’ll do it. And one way or another, he’s going to get me on that plane. They have too many guns. I can only—
The squeal of tires along the pavement jars me. I lean close to the window, a choked gasp catching in my throat.
Danil’s Range Rover?
“Fuck you, Adrian. Looks like you’re not taking a trip after all.” I huddle close to Petro.
Adrian yells to the driver. He creeps close to the door and points his gun at the Range Rover. Shots crack from both sides. I push Petro to the floor when bullets pepper the sides of the truck. Glass shatters. Tires pop. My panicked screams pierce the air.
Adrian grabs me by the hair and pulls me toward him as a human shield, just like he did back at the concert hall. “You lost, Malikov.” He holds me against him, half out of the backseat. “You don’t have the balls to—”
More shots explode. The driver’s body jerks left and right, his body bloody and plugged with bullets.
Uncle Isai jumps across to the driver’s seat. “I’ve got him, Adrian.” He points a gun at where Danil stands behind the driver’s side door.
“Danil, watch out,” I yell.
A shadow moves behind him, and a relieved yelp escapes my lips.
Hades. Thank God.
He fires a round of shots at the truck again. The driver’s side window explodes. Uncle Isai collapses back against the passenger side door, his head torn apart by bullets.
Danil steps out from behind the door. Hades hangs back, his shoulder bloody and hanging by his side.
“We’ve done this before, Malikov,” Adrian yells. “You know how it ends.” He shoves me forward. My foot slips on the running board and I fall forward, stumbling forward before catching my balance.
Adrian grabs the collar of my shirt, but he’s too far back to get a good grip. So I say screw it and run. My feet pound against the pavement, arms covering my head.
“Shoot him,” I scream at Danil, my leg muscles aching from the burn.
Danil runs toward me. Is he nuts?
I run faster as bullets tear through the air. By some miracle, none of them hit me.
With one strong arm, Danil shoves me to the side, out of Adrian’s path. Bullets pop, Danil’s gun still firing at Adrian.
I skid sideways on the ground and lose balance, falling forward onto my knees. My skin scrapes against the concrete, the sting making me cry out. I scramble to my feet and run as hard as I can. A searing pain from behind me shoots down my right arm, exploding into my hand. A scream rises in my chest, but when I open my mouth, nothing comes out.
I fall to the ground head-first, a skull-shuddering pain assaulting my head. A thick gray cloud hovers low like the heaviest fog. I can’t make out shapes, only colorful blobs.
Someone calls my name. I open my mouth to answer, but no sound comes out.
The last thing I see before my eyes droop closed is the dusky sky, ablaze with rich strokes of color.
My painting.
My future.
My unknown.
Chapter37
Danil
