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Smashes it open.
Another dozen or so young women pour out, wide-eyed and barely clothed and huddled against each other for comfort and warmth.
We don’t have time for this, but I don’t have the heart to stop her. She’s a woman on a mission and after everything we’ve both endured, I don’t blame her. I glance over at Pavel and see him messaging Mako and the rest of the team. The extraction process needs to start sooner rather than later.
I reach for Clara and pull her to me again once it seems she’s emptied out all the containers holding women hostage.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I give her a quick nod. I’m still too on edge to delve into the intense feelings she keeps stirring inside me—pride most of all.
The captives quickly obey Tolya’s gesture to follow the shadows toward the outer edge of the depot, where my team awaits toferry them to safety. I want Clara to go with them, but I don’t want to lose her again. I can’t guarantee she’ll be okay unless she’s next to me.
Hell, even then, nothing is guaranteed.
She sticks to my side, gun in one hand and crowbar in the other. I don’t have time to tell her how fucking incredible she is, or how insanely hot she looks when she’s bracing for battle.
She’s Bratva, through and through. There’s no denying that now.
We round a corner and should be in the clear to make a steady run for the main gates. Just a short sprint until?—
Well, perhaps not.
Because just as I get ready to run, I’m met with a barrel aimed at my forehead.
And a shot blasts in my ears.
51
DEMYEN
The Yakuza guard drops dead at my feet.
Clara pulls the trigger again, this time at a different guard who lunges at her from the shadows. I shake off the surprise and near-death shock to cover her, yanking her behind me before she gets herself killed trying to protect us both.
A handful of Yakuza appear around corners and beeline toward us, shouting and aiming their weapons. Clara wriggles herself out of my grasp, slips between two shipping containers, and beckons for me to follow her. “Come on!”
I want to. I would follow her anywhere.
But I’ve got shit to deal with.
And there’s a monster that needs to be killed.
“I love you.”
“I—”
I don’t wait for her response; I already know. I rejoin Tolya and Pavel, who have ducked behind another container for cover.
Suddenly, the bullets stop.
The air grows quiet.
And a new voice joins the fray.
“Come on out, boys. Consider this a white flag.”
“Yeah?” I quickly reload a new magazine and check for any shrapnel lodged in the mechanics of my gun. Good to go. “And why should we trust you?”
