I don’t have even onesecondto doubt my plan. I kick off my high heels and bolt barefoot to the window. I shove it open and climb out onto the ledge. My stomach lurches. I’m one story up. I can jump this, but from here it looks higher than I expected. My survival instincts are at war, one side of my brain telling me I’ll die if I jump, another side telling me I’ll die of I don’t. From inside, I hear shouting, angry yelling.
Leaping, I land on the grass beneath the window, roll once, then I’m on my feet and running like crazy.
I run and my lungs scream at me. They scream for air, I can’t seem to drag them because of the panic and fear surging through me.
The side gate comes into view across the garden, and I focus everything I have on it. I just need to get there.
But Mikhail’s guards are closing in.
They’re too close. And faster than me.
One of the men dives at me and grabs my arm, spinning me off balance and throwing me to the floor. I scream in agony as my shoulder strains, but even as the pain shoots through me, I’m back on my feet, scrambling out of his reach.
When the gunfire snaps loud and clear right behind me, my entire body goes rigid as I tumble to the grass, ducking with my hands over my head. I am going to die. This is it.Mikhail would rather kill me than let me escape.
I kneel, looking down at my body, expecting to see blood gushing from my stomach. I’ve heard that you can’t feel it when you get shot because your body goes into shock.
I brush my hands over my stomach, but there is no blood. There are no bullet holes.
Gasping with relief, I’m about to stand up again, but even more gunshots erupt. Three. Four. Seven. Eight. It’s deafening and terrifying.
Behind me, someone grabs me and pulls me to my feet. I hear screaming, and it takes me a moment before I realize it’s me. It’s my own voice.
A hand grabs at me and spins me around. “Kat, Kat, it’s me!” Yulian shouts, grabbing my face, forcing me to look at him.
I stare in absolute disbelief, then relief hits me like a tidal wave, and I leap into his arms.
“You came. I knew you’d come,” I sob as his arms wrap around me.
He sets me down. “We’re not safe yet. Artur is looking for Mikhail.”
“Artur?” I spit in shock. “He’s here?”
“He helped me,” Yulian says, almost bitterly.
From inside the house, we hear a shout, several gunshots, and a scream of pain.
“Stay here, Kat. Do not move!” Yulian demands before he bolts towards the danger.
Not a chance am I staying here. That’s my brother. And my husband.
I sprint after him, skidding into the living room to find Artur and Mikhail in a standoff.
“You fucking gave her to me!” Mikhail snarls. “Now you want to go back on that deal? I have every right to take her. She’s mine.”
“She’s my sister, you fucking savage, not a possession,” Artur growls.
“You’re useless to me, Krolik,” Mikhail mutters, appearing to move in slow motion as his finger presses against the trigger.
A bullet spins from the barrel of his gun. At the same time, next to me, Yulian lifts his gun and fires two shots.
I watch the bullet pierce Artur’s left shoulder and scream.
In the corner of my eye, Mikhail drops to the floor. I glance at him, his blood still sprayed out behind him like mist in the air.
Dropping to my knees at Artur’s side, I roll him over to see how low the bullet went. Was it in his heart?
“Ow, stop moving me like that, dumbass. I got shot, in case you didn’t see,” he groans.
