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“Relax, Katerina. I’m not going to kill him immediately. He’s fine actually, asleep somewhere in this building. Maybe I’ll even let you see him before I kill you. After I kill you, then I’ll kill him and destroy your family.”
“Big words for a handicap that’s a thousand miles from his home,” I spit.
He smirks. “That may be true but I’m quite tenacious, Katerina. I never stop going after the things that I want. Now be a good girl and come over here. Maybe if you give me a sweet enough kiss, I’ll reconsider your death sentence.”
My lips part. He walks towards me and I move away until we’re circling each other, a good deal of space between us.
“You’re insane,” I tell him. “Have you ever considered checking into a mental hospital? Or at least seeing a shrink.”
“Your wit is as sharp as ever, kitty cat. But your time is up. Drop the gun. Or the kid dies.”
I let out a soft breath before slowly lowering my gun to the ground.
“Okay. I’ll do as you say. Just please don’t hurt him.”
I never should have come here on my own. I think about Xander back at home. He’s going to be so angry. But I also didn’t leave him without a plan. I brought my phone along, left it in the car. My best guess is that Sokolov has put in place something to jam the signal around the building. Which is why I parked my car as far away from it as I could without it being suspicious.
Xander’s coming for me. I know it in my heart. I just have to stall for time. I have to wait for him. Sokolov watches me hungrily as I place the gun down, raising my hands in surrender.
“Before you kill me, at least tell me where he is,” I plead.
“He’s up there,” he tells me, pointing at a gallery on the second floor of the warehouse. “One of my men gave him some pills to make him sleep. He will not wake until the morning. Maybe I’ll kill him in his sleep. Give the little boy a peaceful death. That would be a mercy, no?”
“You’ll do no such thing,” I say through gritted teeth.
My muscles are bunched up tight. Everything in me screams to go up there and see my son. But I can’t make any sudden movements. That much is made clear when Sokolov steps forward and picks my gun from the ground.
“Again with the fucking orders. You may be a Don, Katerina. But you are nowhere near my level. You’re a female. You’re weak, pathetic.”
Each of those words being thrown at me, feels like a gun shot. I clench my fists as he draws even nearer. His hand wraps around my wrist and my heart skips a beat as I come face to face with him. He’s always been a monster. But now he really looks like one.
He’s about to say something when we hear the sound of successive gunshots and a struggle outside the warehouse. My entire body nearly sags with relief. I know it can only mean that help has arrived. I say a quick prayer for the people I love. For every member of my family. Sokolov’s face twists into rage.
“What have you done?” he asks, hands gripping mine tightly.
“My family’s come to rescue me,” I whisper, reveling in his fear. “And not just them. The Dons of New York City stand with me, Sokolov. You’re going to die today.”
He makes a low harsh sound at the back of his throat. Before I can blink he’s lifting his gun and jabbing it into the side of my forehead. I cry out, stumbling back as my vision blurs.
“I’m not fucking going down unless I take you with me, Katerina,” he says, lifting the gun in his hand and pointing it at my chest.
My breathing slows. Time seems to fall still around me as I stare down at the barrel of the gun. I’m terrified that that will be the last thing I see. Not my son’s smiling face, not Xander but this. A monster that’s intent on killing me.
And then I think to myself that I’m still such a fucking idiot. I should have told Xander I loved him. I never said it. Not once. And now it might be too late.
“Good bye, Katerina,” Sokolov says, eyes filled with triumph.
He starts to squeeze the trigger and my eyes fall shut. A shot goes off in the next second. I gasp at the sound. Then slowly my eyes open when I realize the shot wasn’t for me. I place my hand over my stomach, my chest, realizing that I’m fine, unhurt.
I look up at Sokolov and he’s on the ground, a bullet wound in his head. I whirl around with my heart in my throat. Standing there is Xander, holding a gun in one hand while he also tries to clutch his bleeding arm. My eyes widen and I’m rushing towards him before I can blink.
“Xander,” I cry, reaching him the moment he falls to his knees.
“You good, princess?” he asks, looking pale.
I nod as tears start to fall down my eyes. I press my hand on his wound, praying that it’s not serious.
“I’ll be fine,” he assures me, eyes roaming my face. “Where’s our boy?”
