I watched the thermal feed as my men moved into position. Watched Katrina enter the room where Marcus waited. Watched as he stood, something in his hand. My guess was that it was a gun, and it was pointed at her head. Rage whited out my vision.
"I'm going in," I said.
"Wait!”
"He has a gun to her head." I was already moving. "I'm not waiting."
"Olek, if you go in there."
"Then he dies faster." I chambered a round. "Everyone move. Now."
I heard gunfire from the west side as my men engaged Marcus's backup. Heard shouting. Confusion. Good, let them be confused. I entered the warehouse and moved fast, using the chaos as cover. Up the stairs. Down the hallway. I could hear voices now, both Marcus and Katrina.
"—thought you could hide from me? Thought you could run?"
"I'm here now. Let Shanice go."
"Let her go? Baby, I'm just getting started."
I reached the doorway and assessed the situation in seconds. Marcus had Katrina by the hair, gun pressed to her temple. Shanice was zip-tied to a chair in the corner, gagged, terror in her eyes. Marcus's finger was on the trigger. I didn't think I just moved.
One shot. Center mass.
Marcus jerked, the gun going off wildly. The bullet hit the ceiling as he fell, dragging Katrina down with him, and his gun flew behind him.
"Katrina!" I was across the room in seconds, shoving Marcus's body away. "Are you hurt? Did he?"
"I'm fine. I'm fine." She was shaking, clutching me. "Shanice?"
I cut Shanice's restraints while Mikhail appeared in the doorway, weapon raised.
"We got the others," he reported. "All down."
"Good." I looked down at Marcus, bleeding out on the floor but still conscious. Still alive. "Get Shanice to the car. And get the cleaners here. This place needs to disappear."
"What about him?" Mikhail nodded at Marcus.
"Leave him with me."
"Olek, you can’t stay." Katrina started.
"Take Shanice home," I said gently. "Check on Zara. I'll be there soon."
"What are you going to do?"
"What needs to be done." I kissed her forehead. "Go. Please."
She looked at Marcus, then at me. "Make him suffer."
"I plan to."
Mikhail led them out, leaving me alone with the man who'd terrorized the woman I loved.
I knelt beside him. "You made a mistake."
Marcus coughed blood. "Fuck...you..."
"You threatened my woman. My child. My family." I pulled out my knife. "That was your last mistake."
