AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m not sticking around to find out what they’re saying.
We’re almost over the hill when Clara trips and falls again. She tries to not cry out, but the rocky sand scrapes her knee pretty bad. To her credit, she at least tries to push herself back up, but her arms and now her legs are trembling too hard.
Blyat’.We need to keep moving. I don’t care if she tries to blind me or rip my tongue out—I’m going to get her to safety and deal with her rage later.
I come up behind her and scoop her up into my arms, not breaking stride even as she shifts to get more comfortable. The fact that she immediately wraps her arms around my neck and leans in close both spurs me on and somewhat distracts me.
She’s here.
In my arms.
Focus, asshole! Get to the car!
Pavel is still parked another block away, but the bottom of the hill gives us a solid running start away from Oleg’s estate.
We both hear engines roar to life. Clara clings to me tighter.
I’ve got you, baby. I’m not gonna let them take you from me again.
There are a thousand things I wish I could say to her, but I know it’s better to keep silent. For now, I just need to get us down and over the street, maybe cut through a few backyards, and at least make sure she’s safe inside with Pavel before bullets start flying.
“I can run,” she whispers.
I shake my head and keep walking with her cradled in my arms. “Blood trail. Your knee will give us away.”
I don’t tell her I’m worried she’s too weak to keep running. That she looks too frail, too traumatized, to move as quickly as she needs to in order to survive this escape.
I can’t tell her that I’m too scared to let her go, even if it would make running easier for both of us.
I have to be strong.
I have to be fearless.
I have to keep my head on straight.
Clara needs the best of me.
2
DEMYEN
Hummers race down the street from Oleg’s driveway, but I’m able to duck between two dark houses and into deep shadows before they spot us.
And, blessedly, Pavel had the urge to start the Rezvani and roll it along the back street. By the time we emerge on the other side of the cramped houses and dark alley connected to them, he’s got the doors open for us and almost perfectly aligned to conceal us from the cross street.
True to my word, I set Clara in the back seat and let her manage her own seat buckle. I climb into the front passenger side and yank the door shut. Pav doesn’t need a signal to know it’s time to peel the fuck out of there.
Especially now that one of the Hummers has picked up on our presence and is now barreling toward us.
“Pav—”
“Hang on.”
It’s a two-wheel turn in that small side street and I grab the handlebar overhead to stop myself from slamming into the door window. One glance in the rearview mirror shows me that Clara managed to buckle first, and is clinging to the strap with eyes closed and lips trembling in a silent prayer.
The Hummer roars up close behind us. Pavel slams his foot down on the accelerator. A small whimper escapes the backseat, but I make myself ignore it and fuckingfocus.
“Almost there…” Pavel whips another turn down a different side street to throw them off, but we’re met with another Hummer that nearly cuts us off.
