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Antoni laughs. “The fucking idiot is on his way to Seattle to meet us.”
His call came at the perfect time. The opportunity to arrange a meeting at the same time we intend to strike was what we needed.
We were sure he wouldn’t take Ella, and a contact at the airstrip he took off from confirmed that she wasn’t with him, even though I insisted that he bring her as proof of life.
Oleg clears his throat. “Don’t get so cocky. Alex may not be there, but the mansion will be guarded to the fucking hilt.”
It takes the Russian voice of reason to bring us down to earth. While I don’t like the Russians, I can’t deny that they’re a valuable asset. They’re better thinkers than my men, and I’m glad Spartak sent them.
Jimmy clears his throat. “Two minutes until you guys need to go. Are you ready?”
“Of course,” the three Russians say in unison. They’re all fucking fearless.
This isn’t Edoardo’s first jump, and Federico has done a couple before, but the rest of us are newbies. Besides the practice dive we did with an instructor this afternoon, we haven’t dived alone.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Leo says, looking a little pale as he glances out of the plane’s open door. “Fuck.”
“We’ll be fine,” I say, forcing my son to look me in the eye. I’m not scared of jumping out of a plane. The only thing that scares me is not saving Ella from a life of torture. I need to get her back.
“It’s time,” Jimmy announces.
The Russians go first, fearless. One of them is diving solo since there’s an odd number. I watch as they take their leap into the unknown. Frederico and Giuseppe go next. And then Edoardo and Antoni.
Leo takes a deep breath and stands up, ready to jump with me attached behind him. We both take the plunge, and my stomach flips as the air whooshes past us. The wind is loud in my ears, and I can’t feel anything.
An alarm signals we’re at the point of opening the parachute, and I pull it, the force of the wind jerking us aggressively.
As we soar through the air, it feels like time slows down. I reflect on life and what is important and realize how much of an idiot I’ve been with Ella. Telling her I don’t believe in love is complete and utter bullshit, as I didn’t want to cross the line with her because I knew she was different all along. That our relationship would be different.
I do love her. If we get out alive, I will tell her daily how much I love her. And while I’m not ready to contemplate kids yet, I’ll keep an open mind for her.
The parachute swings us down gently into the clearing at the back of the property under the cover of darkness. According to the GPS, the Russians are approaching the front of the house, with the intention of getting caught.
Gunfire ignites, and we tense as I unclip myself from Leo’s harness.
“Fuck,” Leo says, running a hand through his hair as he pulls his skydiving equipment off and shoves it into the nearby bushes. “Are they going to survive this?”
I honestly don’t know, but I’m not sure Spartak will be happy if we get his men killed. “I hope so.”
Frederico and Giuseppe landed closest to us, a few feet away. “It doesn’t sound good,” Frederico says, pulling his gun from his belt.
Giuseppe and Leo help me shift our parachutes out of sight.
“Come on. We stick to the plan.” I glance at the GPS watch on my wrist. “They’re still moving, so they can’t be dead.”
We hustle off into the darkness, making our way around the house to sneak in through a side door on the blueprints. This place was built fifty years ago, so we have to hope nothing has changed since then.
Adrenaline courses through my veins as I lead us closer and closer to the entrance, my heart pounding against my chest.Edoardo and Antoni are close behind.
We get close enough that we can hear the voices of the Russians inside the mansion walls, and my fingers slowly curl tighter around my gun handle.
“Be alert,” I whisper as Frederico steps forward and breaks the locks on the door, swinging it open.
We all hesitate, looking at each other.
“Remember the plan, split up, and keep on comms. If you find Ella, get her out quick.”
My men nod, and we walk inside, splitting into pairs. Leo remains with me. We’re checking the second floor for her.
