We turned as gunfire erupted from the east wing, signaling that Lukyan and Timofey had entered the premises. The shots were controlled. The two of them were a power duo together and could handle anything. I had faith in them.
“Start unlocking the cages,” I told Ilana. “Can you walk?”
She nodded. “I have been pretending to be weaker than I actually am.”
Of course, she had. My smart ass wife. She moved with purpose, fingers flying over keypads, whispering to the girls as doors began to slide open. Everything was automatically locked through the tablets. I had no idea how Ilana had found the codes to access them all, but I could see she knew exactly what to do. It only meant she had been keeping track. Fyodor and I covered her back, scanning corners, every nerve alive.
One of the girls clung to Ilana’s arm, sobbing. I watched as Ilana held the girl as if they had been best friends forever. In a little over twenty-four hours, Ilana had managed to win their trust. All of them were silent, but were easily following Ilana’s instructions, their eyes trained on her and her alone. She was their ray of light in the darkness that surrounded us. I had never been prouder of her.
“That is the exit,” Ilana said, motioning towards the open gate. “Move outside, but don’t scatter or run. Stay together.”
The girls nodded and did exactly as Ilana instructed. More guards poured in from the north entrance. I took them down methodically, bullets precise, anger steadying my hands instead of shaking them. To my left, Fyodor did the same. He was clearly a skilled fighter, every movement precise despite his still recovering bullet wound. Ilana grabbed a fallen gun and handed it to one of the older girls.
“Keep this. But only use it if you have to.”
She met my gaze again, and I could see she was proud and unbroken. The doors opened once again, and Timofey and Lukyan entered, motioning with their eyes.
“The auctioneers know something is happening. All the guards have been taken down, but the people are panicking,” Timofey informed.
“We need to get going,” Lukyan said.
“I will stay here with the girls,” Ilana added.
“My security detail is right outside. You have your phone, go ahead and call them, and they will take the girls to safety. As soon as I am done inside, I will come find you,” I told her and ran inside with Timofey, Lukyan, and Fyodor.
Going directly inside the venue was not the best idea, but all the auctioneers were gathered there. Timofey, being the most impulsive amongst us, fired at the makeshift tent, and a group of people ran outside. I recognized them immediately. What followed afterward was nothing but a blur of movement. Everyone had guns, and they easily outnumbered us, but no one was as skilled. Between the four of us, we tackled most men to the ground, except the ones who were already running away.
The guests who had gathered also began to exit through the other entrance, while I made my way back to Ilana. The tent was already empty, and I ran back to the loading bay, realizing that most of the girls were already inside the vans I had brought alongside my security team. I nodded at them, and they moved away, my gaze falling on Ilana. Timofey, Lukyan, and Fyodor returned as well.
“Everyone is either dead or gone.” Lukyan clarified.
“Perfect.”
We were almost done. Nothing was left to do anymore except for getting out of here. That was when Fyodor turned around, his gun pointed directly at me now. He fired once, the click being quiet and final at the same time. What saved me was pure instinct. I twisted, firing at the same time. Our shots went wide, both of us too good to miss unless we meant to.
“When the hell are you doing?” Lukyan shouted as he ran in, blood on his sleeve.
Fyodor smiled thinly. “I am taking what’s mine.”
Ilana stepped between us without hesitation. “You guys need to stop.”
Fyodor’s gaze flicked to Ilana as something unreadable crossed his face. “You are coming with me, Ilana.”
“No, she is not,” I said, my jaw hardening.
“Yes,” Fyodor replied calmly. “This was the deal from the very beginning.”
“There was no deal,” I snapped.
“Have you lost your mind, Fyodor? I am not going anywhere with you. I already told you that at the very beginning.And if you think you can point your gun at me and take me with you, you’re mistaken,” Ilana replied.
“She is not a bargaining chip,” I growled.
Fyodor leaned in closer. “She is a Romanov, and she belongs beside her brothers.”
“She is a Chernykh now,” Timofey chimed in. “She is a part of our family, and you have no right to force her to do anything.”
Before I could move, he seized her wrist and dragged her back, gun trained on my ribs. Lukyan raised his gun at Fyodor, and Timofey cursed loudly. I could sense they were as angry as I was.
