“Keep dreaming,” I scoff. He laughs. God, he’s actually being genuine. “Zhen Haung is alive.”
I just betrayed The Donati Famiglia. It’s crazy how I don’t even feel an ounce of remorse for it. Or even Zhen, the poor woman, when he finds her. All that matters to me right now is getting us out of here alive. That’s it.
His eyes harden. “Location.”
“Rico has it.”
He grits his teeth. “What did I say about games?”
“I’m not playing games. Zhen is alive. I heard it from Constantine Donati himself. Rico has the location. If you want it, get us out of here so he survives and he can tell you.”
Another grunt. Maybe he should be named the beast instead of the boogeyman.
“You’re manipulative. I appreciate good manipulation.”
“You really are a psychopath, aren’t you?”
“Quit flirting with me,” he jests. Kirill then enters the cell and, without gentleness, lifts Rico. He screams out in pain, the sound agonizing to hear.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” I explode on him. “He’s injured you, brute!”
Kirill positions Rico over his shoulder like a fellow soldier would a wounded combatant. “If you don’t like my methods, I can leave him here.”
He begins to roll him off his shoulder, but I shout in protest. “Christ, stop! Just be careful with him,” I say in a small voice.
“You’re lucky I’m helping. You get what you get. Now, let’s move.”
Rising up on my tiptoes, I press a kiss to Rico’s forehead, uncaring of the blood wetting my lips. “I love you.”
I’m gifted a ghost of a smile.
He’s still there.
Holding onto that hope like a raft in the waters, I follow Kirill out of the basement.
When we reach the top of the steps, he pauses by the door and takes a peek out. Seeing the coast is clear, he nods his head for us to push forward.
As quietly as we can, we navigate through the estate, with me telling him where to go.
With one more corridor to go, we’ll make it to the back door. I continuously check over my shoulder, but it seems as if luck is on our side.
Once we get Rico in the car, I’ll go back for Ma.
I thank the gods above as we reach the back door. I open it for Kirill, and he gives a nod of thanks.
We slip easily into the night. And a sense of déjà vu hits me. Except now the situation is much more dire. Although it didn’t feel that way all those months ago.
“My rental is out front,” he tells me.
Shit. Cameras will definitely catch us. We’ll have to act fast.
When I see two soldiers about to round the property, I raptly tap him in the shoulder. He comes to a stop and looks ahead.
As the soldiers spot us, I shoot them both in rapid-fire succession.
“Good shot,” he praises.
“Thank you,” I mutter.
