Louis
At first, I don’t even realize that there’s a gunshot sounding from the other side of the room. My mind is fully focused on the last man hiding behind the desk. I only heard him curse once, but I’m pretty sure it’s the same guy who stopped my car earlier today. Who would’ve thought we’d meet again?
But I take it as a chance to get back at him. I use the desk as a cover as well, so we kneel on both sides of it, waiting for a good chance to catch each other, when a gunshot pierces through the tense silence.
Instead of being startled, my instincts force me to use the momentary distraction and catch the man off guard, so I lunge forward and around the desk, firing at the man. He grits his teeth around a scream and tries to shoot me back, but his aim is way off and he shatters a lamp behind me instead.
“Good shot,” I say with a hoarse chuckle, lying on my side in front of him. “But your thirty seconds have passed.”
I raise my gun and, forcing my mind into focus, shoot him in the middle of his chest. Blood bursts out of the wound, splattering all over my arms, and with a frantic gasp, the man falls back on the floor.
Finally, total silence settles over the room, and I can’t help but roll onto my back, close my eyes, and catch my breath. My muscles are sore and my head is throbbing with the echo of gunshots in my ears. Goddamnit. It’s been a while since I had such a tense evening.
Ever since I shot Nikolai’s guards and stepped onto his property, my mind has been completely focused on wounding and killing everyone standing in my way. It’s as if a switch in my mind turned from protection to aggression, and the only thing I could think about was finding Sasha as soon as possible.
Wait. Sasha! I immediately sit up and look around. Where is she? Is she okay?
I can’t see her at first, and invisible alarms go off in my head, nudging me to jump to my feet and go look for her. But as soon as I stand up, I notice Sasha’s small figure leaning against the wall on the other side of the room with her knees bent in front of her and her head hanging low. Her red hair is covering her face, her gun is lying between her feet, and she looks so lifeless that, for a moment, I feel a rush of terror at the thought that she’s been shot.
“Sasha!” I rush to her, ignoring the nagging soreness in my legs, and crouch in front of her. Only then do I notice the body lying next to Sasha. It’s hard to mistake Nikolai’s enormous figure for anyone else.
He’s on his back and facing away from me, lying in a pool of blood gathering around his head and urine soaking through his pants. Not a single muscle in his body is moving, not a single breath escapes his lips, and even though I can’t see his blank stare, I know the grimace of death well enough to imagine.
So she did it, huh? I let out a deep breath, look at Sasha, and after a second of hesitance, reach for her hands hanging between her knees. Her fingers are stiff, but when I tighten my grip they yield to it, curling in. At the same time, I hear a shaky breath and a tremor runs through Sasha’s shoulders.
Damn. It looks like she’s crying, and I have no idea how to help. It’s not the best time for it either because Yuriy’s men will come looking for us any moment now, and no matter how much I want to soothe Sasha, I have to make sure she’s safe first.
“I-I know this is hard for you, and I’m sorry you had to do this, but…Sasha, we have to get out of here.” I rub her hand and glance at the window. Did I see a reflection of car lights just now, or was it just lightning?
Sasha breathes out harshly, trying to pull herself together, and I squeeze her hand tighter before letting go. She’s not one to show her weakness easily, so I decide to give her some space and step to the door, listening to the sounds of the house. There are steps and muffled voices coming from below, but it doesn’t sound dangerous, more like the chattering of worried servants.
I raise my gun and turn to Sasha. She already looks better, standing on her feet and checking her gun with an unreadable expression. I can see pink traces of tears on her cheeks, but it’s clear that she wants to hide them from me, so I decide not to ask anything until we get home.
“Are you ready?”
She raises her head with a distant look in her green eyes and drives the magazine back into its place with a loud click. “Ready.”
I carefully step out of the room, guiding Sasha, but she quickly moves past me and takes over, gesturing for me to follow her instead. Oh, right. She knows the place better, I guess. It’s more dangerous to be at the front, though, and I can’t help the pinch of worry in my chest as I watch her confidently run down the hallway. But Sasha won’t let me take over, so I swallow my complaints and hurry after her.
I catch up with her by the balustrade overlooking the stairs, and we both hear the commotion and phone conversation coming from the first floor. Apparently, the remaining injured men are waiting for reinforcement to corner us, and it sounds like it wouldn’t be a problem for them. Sasha swats me on the shoulder and gestures for me to follow her.
She quietly moves to the other side of the hallway, so that she isn’t seen from the first floor, and crawls past the open space to the other side of the building. I follow her, holding my breath and gripping my gun tighter, until we get to the safer zone. There Sasha picks up her pace, still keeping her steps quiet, and I have to admit, her skills are quite impressive. But of course, what else would you expect from a professional spy?
“Here,” Sasha whispers and opens one of the doors, glancing around. “I know another way out.”
The room turns out to be a bedroom, and while Sasha doesn’t even stop on her way to the window, I close the door and linger to take a proper look. “Is this your bedroom?”
“Yeah.”
“Nice.”
Well, the room is nothing special, actually. Just a simple bedroom with a desk in the corner, a closet, a few empty cupboards, and of course, a bed. There’s nothing left to remind of its previous owner, and I guess that’s how Sasha wanted it to be. She didn’t want to leave a trace of her presence here-but still, it used to be her room, and I can’t help but look around curiously until she clears her throat.
“Are you coming?” Sasha meets my gaze with a quirked eyebrow and nods at the open window.
I frown, walking closer. “Do you have a rope ladder?”
“No.”
I stop next to her and look down. The ground is clear and wet from the rain, and I see the reflection of lights from around the corner. Still, there’s no kind of a ladder or anything to hold onto, so I look at Sasha with a silent question.
“We have to jump.” She shrugs and climbs on the window sill. “It’s gonna be alright. I’ve done it many times.”
As soon as she finishes the sentence, Sasha swings herself over the window frame, and I can only startle and rush after her. But she does look fine, landing on her feet and slipping only a little. Sasha quickly looks around, steps away, and gestures for me to follow her. Well, alright. I hope she knows what she’s doing.
I jump after her, feeling only a slight burst of pain upon landing, and Sasha eyes me quickly before pointing at the fence around the property. What, are we going to climb over? But it looks like she’s sneaked out of this house plenty of times, so I trust her.
Sasha guides me under the dripping rain and dark clouds to the iron fence and gestures for me to keep an eye on the people walking around the entrance of the house. I can see them as well as the two cars driving through the gates a few seconds later-the reinforcement, I assume.
“Louis, here,” I hear Sasha’s voice a moment later, and when I turn around, I see her already climbing through a hole in the iron pattern. Thank god!
“Did you know this was here?” I ask, following her. The hole is a little too narrow for my shoulders, but I get through it just fine.
Sasha huffs, watching me with amusement. “I made it. Do you remember where your car is?”
“Yeah, around the corner.”
With one last glance at Nikolai’s house, we run away from it, and I feel an overwhelming wave of relief. Thank god it’s finally over and Sasha is with me, alive and safe. As soon as we get to the car, she gives it a suspicious glance and looks at me with raised eyebrows, and I purse my lips and open the door.
“What? I had to steal the most inconspicuous car out there or your brothers would find me in no time.”
“Steal it?” Sasha frowns, taking the passenger seat next to me, and I pause. Her hair is too obvious, and every Russian knows her face.
“I think it’s better for you to be in the back. If they stop us, they’ll recognize you right away.”
I almost expect her to argue with me, but Sasha only shrugs and follows my directions, not looking even a little pissed. In fact, she looks rather tired, and just a few minutes after I start the car, I notice her nodding off. It’s been a long day, indeed.
Chapter 71
Thankfully, the Bratva seem to be too occupied looking for us around Nikolai’s mansion, so nobody even looks at us on the way back. It’s another thing to get into the Messinas’ territory, but I guess the watchmen take me for a civilian driving through and let me pass. It’s helpful, of course, but I’ll have to test them again later. If I were a Mexican, such carelessness would get the whole family into trouble. But I don’t think about it too much. Right now, I have to get Sasha home.
By the time we arrive, she’s already fast asleep, so I look at her for a moment before sighing and getting out of the car only to open the back seat. Sasha winces in her sleep at the sound but doesn’t wake up, so I carefully gather her in my arms and pick her up.
“What’re you doin’?” Sasha mumbles against my chest, and something about her hoarse voice and meek body makes my heart beat like crazy. God, how can a woman be so effortlessly charming?
“Taking you home,” I whisper back at her, and it seems to be enough to put her back to sleep.
Despite the late hour, the lights in my house are still on, and only now do I realize that Misha must’ve been waiting for us. Also, wait, is this his teacher’s car? I open the door rather clumsily with Sasha in my arms, and as soon as I step inside I hear Misha’s voice.
“They’re back!” He runs out into the entrance hallway, but as soon as he sees Sasha he comes to a complete stop. “Mom? Wha-what happened?”
“She’s alright, don’t worry. She’s just tired.” I smile as cheerfully as possible through my own exhaustion and look at Mrs. Lee hesitantly lingering behind him. I’ve never actually talked to her in person, but Misha has told me plenty about her. “Mrs. Lee? I’m sorry you had to wait for so long.”
“It’s been four hours,” she says with reluctant annoyance as if she’s not sure whether she should show it. Her gaze darts to Sasha and the blood on my arms, and her eyes widen.
“We’ll pay you double for your trouble.” I look at Misha, hoping to see a chuckle at my joke, but his eyes are focused on Sasha only, so I sigh and look at Mrs. Lee again. “Thank you for staying with him. Good night.”
I don’t have the time or energy to deal with her, so I just nod and, readjusting Sasha in my arms, walk to the stairs. By the time I reach her bedroom, Misha’s hurried footsteps join me. He doesn’t say anything, only grabs my sleeve and looks at Sasha with a worried frown, and together we carry her to the bed.
As soon as her head hits the pillow, Sasha sighs and cracks her eyes open. “Where’s…”
“He’s here.”
I nudge Misha, and he rushes to wrap his arms around her. “Are you okay?”
“I am, teddy bear. I’m just very tired. Do you want to climb into the bed with me?”
Misha nods, and I step back, giving them some peace and quiet. No matter what, I’m not a part of the family, and it feels like they need each other right now. But when I reach the door, I hear Sasha’s voice which is surprisingly soft and quiet.
“Louis.” I pause to turn to her, and I see her eyes over Misha snuggled in her arms. I can’t read her expression, but I still feel warmth in the way she speaks to me. “Thank you.”
I almost want to joke or wave it off, but in the end, I smile and nod with my heart growing in my chest. “I promised to honor and protect you till death do us part, didn’t I?”
With that, I turn around to leave, and Sasha’s chuckle follows me into the hallway, keeping my heart warm all the way to my room.
As soon as I get into the bed, I pass out even faster than she did. My body is exhausted and my mind is heavy with the events of the day, feeding me vague dreams about escaping dark places with gunshots following me all night. I wake up a few times throughout the night, but by the morning I find some peace and even sleep in, waking up with the gray morning light streaming through the curtains.
Following an old habit, I check my phone as soon as I sit up in bed, and I see a few missed calls from Riccardo. Shit. I guess he wants to know what happened last night-the news must’ve reached him already. Does he know it was me who broke into Nikolai’s house? I thought I killed all the witnesses, but perhaps I missed someone on the way.
I decide to keep my phone mute for the time being and stretch my arms, heading to the shower. My muscles are still sore after last night, and my mind is kinda groggy, but I can live with it. I leave my bedroom a few minutes later and linger in the hallway, listening to the house. It’s still quiet -and as soon as I think that I hear Misha’s voice coming from Sasha’s bedroom. My feet automatically carry me there.
Is it okay for me to enter? I pause in front of the door, but in the end, my worry takes over my hesitation, and I knock on the door before slowly pushing it open.
“May I?”
Sasha quickly turns to me and sits up on the bed, but I don’t see the same hostile alertness that used to be in her movements before. She looks rather caught off guard, with her hair wet and messy after a shower and her emotions completely open on her face.
“Louis!” Misha jumps up on the bed, getting tangled in the blankets on the way. “Are you gonna join us? Mom, can he join us?”
I chuckle, watching him fight the bedsheets while Sasha murmurs something in Russian under her breath and moves to help him. “It depends on what you’re doing.”
“We’re trying to-ouch, Mom!” Misha pulls his twisted ankle out of the sheets and turns to me as if nothing. “We’re trying to decide what to have for breakfast!”
I can’t help but laugh at that, endeared by his sweet childishness, and when I catch Sasha chuckling, my gaze darts to her. Our eyes meet, and something in my chest tightens at the sight of her smile and the glint in her eyes. It’s been a while since I saw her so happy, and deep in my heart, I know I want to see it every day.
“Well, what are the options?” I step into the room and, keeping an eye out for any sign of protest from Sasha, take a seat at the foot of her bed.
“Mom says I have to eat cereal.”
“And what do you want?”
“And I want pizza!” Misha purses his lips, looking at her from the corner of his eye, and Sasha rolls her eyes.
“We don’t have pizza. Or do you want to ride in a car for twenty minutes to get it?” She looks at him with raised eyebrows, but Misha confidently nods a few times.
“Yes, I do.”
“Oh, teddy bear…”
“Wait, but what if we do this?” I raise a hand, and they both turn to me simultaneously with the same curious look. “I order pizza by phone, Misha and I drive there to pick it up, and then we have breakfast together at home. What do you think?”
“Yes!”
Yeah, it doesn’t take a lot to get Misha on my side. I look at Sasha, and after a moment of thinking, she shrugs. “I wouldn’t mind having an hour to myself.”
“Then it’s decided.” I clap my palms against my lap with a chuckle while Misha gets down on the floor and heads straight to the door.
“Wait, where are you going?” Sasha looks at him with a frown, and Misha, already holding the door handle, turns to her with quite a patronizing expression.
“Didn’t you hear, Mom? I have to get dressed.”
With that, he leaves, and both Sasha and I chuckle. It’s funny to watch a ten-year-old act with such confidence-I don’t want him to ever change.
Still smiling, I turn back to Sasha, and our eyes meet again. My heart tightens for a moment, and even though I know I have to leave as well, I look around, looking for a reason to stay. “So…how are you? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yeah.”
She seems thoughtful and rather distant, staring down at her blanket with a frown. Is that a hint that it’s time for me to leave? Probably. I mean, why would she want me here in the first place?
“Well, I guess I have to get ready, too. See you later.” I raise a hand in an awkward goodbye-god, why do I feel like an idiot-and move to get up, when Sasha quickly looks up.
“Wait, I think-I want to talk to you.”
Oh? I didn’t expect that, but I guess after yesterday there are some things to discuss. So I nod and sit back down, thinking about what to tell her. Should I ask her about Nikolai? Should I tell her not to be so careless again because she’s important to me and-
“Louis…I’m sorry,” Sasha murmurs, and all my thoughts come to a halt. Huh? I look at her with a frown, but Sasha still keeps her eyes on the blanket, frowning at her thoughts and looking unexpectedly vulnerable. “I can’t believe I trusted Father more than I trusted you. And for years, god, for nine years, I blamed you for Mom’s death and dreamed about killing you.”
Oh, so she’d been planning her attack for a while, huh? Well, after what I learned yesterday I can’t be mad at her, so I sigh and shake my head. “It’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“But I should’ve known.” Sasha curls her hands into fists and raises her head with a look of remorse and anger at herself. “I should’ve known you’d never do something so horrible.”
“But hadn’t I betrayed you before ?” I chuckle joylessly, avoiding her gaze. It doesn’t feel right to listen to her apologies because I know for sure Sasha was not the only one to make a mistake nine years ago. “Hadn’t I treated you like an asshole? I broke your heart and refused to even talk to you about it. Honestly, you had every right to hate me.”
“I don’t know.” She sighs and shakes her head with a sad smile on her lips. “Everyone goes through a breakup, and…maybe if I knew how to handle it, Mom would still be alive.”
“What do you mean?” I frown, turning on the bed to face her properly. “She didn’t come to us because of you.”
“She did.” Sasha swallows and looks at me with torment in her eyes. “She wanted to find you there. She wanted to make things right between us.”
What? I blink. No, what…what the hell?
“Why would she do that?”