"Let her go," I say, my voice low and dangerous. "This is between us. Let her go and you can have me."
"Have you?" The twin laughs, shaking his head. "We don't want you. You're too much trouble. It's her we came for."
My stomach drops. "Why her?"
"Orders," Roman says simply. "Now, stand down, or I'll slit her throat."
"Then take me as a prisoner, just take me along," I demand, stepping forward.
"Not a chance," the twin says.
He pulls the trigger.Bang.The shot hits me in the shoulder, the same one that is already bleeding. The force of it knocks me back, and I stumble, grit and pain exploding in my vision.
"No!" Iris screams, struggling against Roman's grip. I try to regain my footing, but my vision blurs, and the twin fires again. This time, the bullet tears through my thigh, forcing my leg to give out. I collapse onto the hard ground, catching myself on my hands and knees. I taste blood in my mouth.
"Move out," Roman orders. Men begin to show up from all directions. They drag her toward a waiting van.
"Ilay!" she screams, her voice tearing through the air. "Ilay, get up! Please!" I grit my teeth, forcing my body to move. I drag myself forward, ignoring the agony screaming in my leg and shoulder. I have to get to her. I have to stop them.
The twin turns back, looking bored, and aims at me again.
Bang.
The third shot hits me in the side.
The impact slams me into the ground. The world tilts sideways, gray spots filling my vision, but I refuse to close myeyes. I watch helplessly as they shove her into the back of the van. The doors slam shut, cutting off her screams, and the engine roars to life.
Rage, hot and suffocating, claws at my chest, overpowering the agony of my wounds. I dig my fingers into the asphalt, scratching until my nails break, and force my upper body off the ground. Blood pours from my mouth, but I don't care. I need them to hear me.
"YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED ME!" I bellow, my voice booming across the empty road. "BECAUSE NOW I AM COMING FOR YOU!"
The van begins to pull away, kicking up dust, but I drag myself forward, shouting at the taillights blurring through my tears.
"I will find you!" I roar, choking on the copper taste of my own blood. "I will peel the skin from your bones while you're still breathing! I will make you watch as I rip your insides out! Death will be a mercy you won't get! I will make you beg for hell just to escape me!"
My voice breaks, turning into a guttural snarl as the van disappears around the bend.
I collapse back onto the dirt, my vision fading, but the fire in my chest burns hotter than ever.
They made the mistake of leaving me alive. And now, I am going to make sure they suffer a fate so horrific that even the devil will turn away in disgust.
Chapter 21
ROMAN
We pull up to the rendezvous point, deep in the woods, miles away from the main road. This is the handoff zone, a dead spot where satellite tracking goes to die.
Waiting there is a black, windowless van. I hop out of our SUV, scanning the perimeter. Behind us, a second rugged vehicle pulls in—the team we sent to scour the field for the straggler.
I walk around to the back of our car, while one of the guys guides Iris out into the cold air. "Careful," I snap, my voice sharp as one of our guys moves to grab her arm. "Don't hurt her. Dad wants her in one piece."
The guy nods quickly, stepping back. Kirill handles her instead. He is surprisingly gentle, his hand barely grazing her elbow as he guides her toward the waiting van. She is quiet, tears streaming down her face, numb with shock. Then, the door of the second SUV opens.
"Move it!" one of the hired guns shouts, yanking a figure out from the backseat.
"Hey! You! Short stuff!" the guard barks, shoving the captive forward. "Walk slowly or I'll shoot! And take off the hat and mask!"
The figure stumbles forward, hands raised, their body hidden beneath layers of ill-fitting fabric. An oversized hoodie and baggy pants swallow their silhouette, while a backward cap and bandana hide their features, giving off the distinctimpression of a teenage boy caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
