An eight point star tattoo. A ring so heavy it would make a poor man’s finger tremble.
This isn’t just any Russian.
No.
This is the man who craves bloodshed. Menacing. Terrorizing. A psychopath.
Kirill Vasiliev. The tyrannical ruler of the Bratva.
Rico pushes me further behind him to shield me from his view. Without his eyes on me I can breathe again. “Don’t look at her. If you do, you'll never see again.”
I can hear the smile in his voice. “Captured quite the beauty haven’t you, Rico?”
Rico’s fingers bury themselves in my hip. I can already feel the bruising begin but it’s a pain I pay no attention to. In fact, it’s one I’m grateful for. Because as long as I feel his relentless grip it means we’re both alive.
I peer over his shoulder once more. Kirill notices but doesn’t look at me.
“I’ll make another suggestion,” he says coolly. “Don’t comment on her appearance either. I can always cut your tongue off.”
“I am rather skillful with my tongue.” He runs his tongue along the front of his teeth. “Afraid she’ll prefer mine better?” I recoil from the crude implication. Bile tickles the back of my throat.
Rico takes a step forward but Kirill tsks at him while waving his gun. “Take another step Mr. Possessive and your wife goes night night.”
It’s then I feel the butt of a gun at the back of my head.
Any ounce of hope I have of us getting out of this alive snuffs out like a candle.
Rico’s head whips fast as he sees the dangerous predicament I’m in.
And I see it in his eyes. The fear. Fury. Unbridled rage. For only a moment so enemies don’t see he bares it all to me.
“You will remove your gun from my wife’s head or?—”
“Or what?” Kirill asks on a snort. He then pulls out his gun and points it right at his head.
While my heart lurches to my throat Rico doesn’t cower. He shows no sign of fear to Kirill. No, he stares him down coldly. Intensely. “You think I can’t disarm you?” Rico’s question is more of a threat.
“Oh, I know you can. But as soon as you do she’s dead.”
But I can. If Rico keeps Kirill distracted enough I can disarm my assailant.
When Rico looks back at me I implore with my eyes for him to keep talking. Anything for the focus to be on him and not me. Miraculously he picks up on my social cue.
“You take orders from the Irish now?”
Kirill puffs haughtily. “I take orders from no man.”
“Then why are you here?”
Kirill shrugs nonchalantly. “A man has to explain himself to kill someone?”
“You’re certifiably insane,” Rico says matter-of-fact.
He chuckles darkly and winks at him. “Quit flirting with me.”
I slowly raise my arms so that I am in a quicker position to retrieve the gun. With the gun to the back of the head it’s the worst possible position to out maneuver. One wrong move and I’m done.
“You do realize once the Irish gain what they want they will have no need for you.”
