As if on cue, his voice rings out again. “She didn’t need to do that, you know, Yul. That bullet wasn’t meant for you.”
No,I realize.It was meant for her.
Rage roars through me. “You fucking coward.”
“Now, who’s the one who goes around tying bricks to people’s ankles?”
Shit. I’m not going to get anything done with my focus split like this. On one hand, I’ve got Desya taunting me, distracting me from his next move; on the other, Mia is now writhing in my arms, trying hard to hide the pain.
“Maks,” I say, “take the left side. I’ll take the right.”
“Yes,pakhan.”
“Tikhon.” I grab my spare gun and thrust it in his trembling hands. “Stay with Mia.”
“S-sure thing, boss.”
“And call a goddamn ambulance.”
Mia’s hand grips mine. “Don’t leave me,” she begs, delirious.
It breaks me. Utterly fucking breaks me. “I’ll be back,” I promise, propping her up against the wall, quietly out of sight. “Trust me.”
Slowly, her fingers ease up. “Okay,” she whispers.
Then I’m back into the fray.
The elevator is backed up. People are flooding towards the staircase, but there’s too many of them and not enough room. The rooftop is still full of staff, guests, bodyguards.
He didn’t go to any of the other rooftops.I clench my fist in rage. Failure burns down my throat like acid.He smelled my trap. He didn’t snipe us—he disguised himself as one of us and came straight here to deliver his bullet.
I underestimated him.
Again.
“What the hell do you want?!”
It’s a pathetic attempt, but it works. “Let’s see,” he teases. If there’s one thing Desya could never resist, it’s the chance to monologue. “I want you back where you belong. And, of course, I want your bitch dead.”
Fury flares in me, but victory flares harder.
Gotcha.
I follow the voice, reach into the crowd, and yank a waiter to the ground by his collar.
A single eye stares back up at me from the terrace floor. “That was cheating.”
“Shut up.” I cock my gun and aim it. “You’re done.”
“Yeah?” he grins, whipping out his weapon. “Wanna bet?”
Then he aims it at Mia.
Time stops.
In the split-second of my decision, the two halves of me war with each other.
Kill him,shouts thepakhan.It’s the rational thing to do—the smart thing to do. Take this chance, avenge my loved ones, put an end to this nightmare once and for all.
