I stood and started getting dressed, my hands were steadier than they'd been moments ago. Tonight, this ended. One way or another.
Olek
Iwanted to kill him.
My rage was so consuming that Mikhail had to physically stop me from getting in the car and drive straight to that warehouse early.
"If you go in hot, you get them both killed," he said, his hand on my chest. "Think, Olek. You need to be smart about this."
"He threatened my woman. My child. Her sister. Her best friend."
"I know. Which is why we're going to handle this right." Mikhail pushed me toward the armory. "Come on. Let's gear up."
I assembled my best men—five of them, all lethal, all loyal. Positioned them around the warehouse perimeter with instructions to stay hidden unless I gave the signal.
"No one moves until I say," I told them. "He thinks she's coming alone. If he sees any of you, he’ll kill the hostage."
"And if he tries to hurt Katrina?" Mikhail asked.
"Then you put a bullet in his head." My voice was ice. "But only if there's no other choice. I want him alive long enough to suffer."
I studied the warehouse blueprints. Two stories. Multiple entry points. Too many places for Marcus to hide, to watch, to have backup.
"He'll be expecting an ambush," I said. "He's paranoid. Careful. He'll have contingencies."
"So we give him what he expects," Mikhail suggested. "Let Katrina walk in alone, like he demanded. We stay back, out of sight. Wait for an opening."
"And if there is no opening?"
"Then we make one."
I checked my weapons. Glock at my hip. Knife in my boot. Backup piece at my ankle. Not enough. Would never be enough. Because the woman I loved—the woman carrying my child—was about to walk into a trap, and every instinct I had screamed to stop her.
"I should go in her place," I said.
"He won't negotiate with you. He wants her." Mikhail's voice was gentle. "This is the only way."
"I hate it."
"I know."
At 11:30, I went to get Katrina.
She was in the family quarters, dressed in dark jeans and a black jacket. Her face was pale but determined.
"Zara?" I asked.
"Asleep. Elena's staying in the apartment with her." She looked up at me. "If something happens to me you’ll take care of her?"
"Nothing's going to happen."
"Promise me Zara will be safe."
I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms. "Nothing is going to happen to you. Do you understand me? You're going to walk out of that warehouse with Shanice, and we're going to come home and get married and raise our baby and Zara and live a long, boring life together."
I glared at him.
"Promise me you'll be careful. Promise me you won't do anything stupid or heroic. You get in, you stall, and you let me handle the rest."
