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A shockwave of intense pressure hits me, and I dig in for purchase. Ringing floods my ears as another hits.
BOOM!
Squealing tires bring back memories and flashes debilitate me.
“Get Down! Pakhan!
“Sir, the paramedics are on their way—”
Kate.
Metal fragments fly past me and yelling snaps me back to the present. I scan the dust cloud for Nik and see him crawling on the ground, shrapnel in his leg leaving a trail of crimson behind.
“Luka! All men to the pakhan!” Nik’s voice carries cutting though the ringing in my ears.
Andrei shuffles toward me, and he grabs my arm. “Let’s go!”
“Nyet. I need to help Nik.” I fall back as automatic gunshots zip through the air. I reach Nik and hoist him up, throwing his arm over my shoulder.
“Get back!” I yell at my men as more gunshots ring out. One of my men runs toward us and lifts his weapon, firing back. “Lean on me,” I urge Nik.
“Go. I’m slowing you down,” he stutters.
“Like hell.” I bark.
There would never be a time I’d leave him, because he’s never left me.
“You think you’re untouchable,you little Russian prick!” Another punch lands in my gut. The crowd cheers, and I smile, spitting blood. I scan the crowd through my swollen eyes, but I can’t see Nik. I’m sure this isn’t what he had in mind when he said he wanted to do something for my twenty-first birthday. Another punch knocks my head to the side, and blood warms my face.
“Daddy’s not here to protect you, Bratva blood.” The man spits at my feet. He draws his leg up and kicks out my knees—I buckle. He seizes the opportunity to jump on me, landing punch after punch to my face.
I relish the feeling. I’m slipping away. What will my father do without his precious heir?
Elation floods my veins as black spots speckle my vision and a forearm presses into my neck, air now unable to pass.
The sudden booing from the crowd draws my eyes open as I see Nik with the man in a headlock, dragging him off me. His eyes meet mine, and he snarls.
With an instant snap, the man falls to the ground.
A sudden screamsounds out from one of my men—Andrei is down.
“Drag him!” I yell. Igor steps in and grabs his hands as he drags him back behind our SUVs. More squealing tires fade off in the distance and the dusty haze in the air trickles down to settle. I lean Nik against the car and drop to my knees for Andrei. Blood seeps into my pants, and I follow the river to the hole in his head.
With shaky hands, I reach up to close his eyes. Eighteen. Andrei was eighteen.
I peer at my panting men, the afternoon sun reflecting off the sweat pouring down their faces.
Unacceptable.
My father’s words from my twenty-first birthday crawl out of my memory.
But I agree. This is unacceptable.
Chapter27
Kate
Iwas in the middle of checking out at some lavish store Luka sent me off to when Dmitry—I think that is his name—got a phone call. He was short and clipped. The woman behind the counter eyed both guards as she rang up my two pairs of pants and two shirts. The prices when I entered the store made me shudder, and I couldn’t justify buying more than a couple things. Four hundred dollars for a shirt is not the world I come from.
