“You can try, durak.”
“Oh, I intend to,” he says. “This could be the start of something special, Kitty.”
Two things happen at once. Screams erupt from the marquee, and something starts to roll over the timbered gallery floor above us.
I whisper a warning to Fitz. “Smoke bomb.”
I don’t have time to imagine what horrors are facing our guests in the marquee. My attention has to remain in the hall. The rolling stops, signaling the canister is in midair. I hold my exhale and tense my trigger finger.
When Andrey tries to pull Grace in front of him to use as cover, I take my shot and he flies backwards with a bullet in his head. He almost pulls Grace with him, but she stays upright as thick smoke starts to fill the hall.As I race towards her, Vasili’s men open fire and a bullet zips past my ear.
I don’t slow when I reach Grace and I don’t sweep her into my arms. There’s no time for a reunion. I push her in front of me and steer her towards the nearest corner. With zero visibility, Vasili’s men have assumed we’re heading for the terrace and glass shatters nearby. Before the breeze can sweep away our smokescreen, I open a hidden door in the oak paneling and force Grace inside.
The warren of secret passages is created from the gaps between the mansion’s inner walls, interspersed with the occasional ladder to provide access to the floors above and below. This section is only one-body-width and there’s no lighting. Fortunately, I could navigate this maze with my eyes closed. I guide Grace forward, desperate to get her away from any rogue bullets that might make it through the walls.
We stay as quiet as we can, but we’ve both taken in a lungful of smoke, and Grace chokes back a cough. There are footsteps overhead and she freezes.
“It’s OK,” I whisper.
It has to be one of my brothers. Len and the rest of the staff were instructed to take cover once the Bratva arrived, and it’s too soon for our enemy to have figured out our secret escape route.
“Duke?” Calder asks just above a whisper.
“Yeah,” I say raising my voice as much as I dare. He’s on the floor above and as I reach a ladder, I see his shadowy form in the gloom. “I’ve got Grace. Are Rory and Fitz safe?”
There’s more shuffling. “I’m here,” says Fitz. “Rory too. He’s promised not to talk.”
We know from experience that even a whisper in Rory’sdeep baritone voice risks giving away our position. “Does anyone know what’s happening in the marquee?”
“It’s not as bad as it sounded,” Calder replies. “Killian blew up Katarina’s cake remotely. He was planning to use an explosion of buttercream as a distraction so he could steal Katarina away.”
I curse under my breath, but it’s relief I feel as I rope my arm around Grace, her back pressing to my chest. She strokes my forearm, calming me a fraction. I’m going to have nightmares about those screams from the marquee, not to mention seeing Andrey press his gun to Grace’s temple.
I want to protect everyone, but I can’t do it alone this time. “Fitz, go find Max. Help him get everyone down to the lake and out of the way. The rest of us can deal with the situation up here. The Griffins will be close by now. If we can help Killian keep Vasili and his men occupied…”
“You stay with Grace,” Rory orders, his voice echoing through the timbers.
There’s a series of shushes.
“I can’t leave you to fight my battles,” I argue.
“This is our battle too, and we want you to keep your girl safe,” Calder insists. “Besides, we’re more than equipped to deal with the Bratva. Someone stashed all kinds of gear up here for a war the rest of us didn’t know was coming.”
I deserve the dig, but it’s Max we need to credit for storing weapons and supplies between the walls. I can’t believe I thought he was being overcautious.
“Need anything?” asks Fitz.
“Two vests and a couple of Glocks.”
“Here, take these,” he says, his face appearing as Calder moves out of the way.
I smile as I take the guns and bullet-proof vests. “It’sgood to have you back, Fitz. Just stay safe. All of you,” I add. “See you guys on the other side.”
Footsteps scatter in all directions, but I don’t move off until Grace and I have put on our vests. Once I’ve made sure her straps are tight and secure, we continue our journey. I release a catch in a wall and open the panel a fraction. The unlit billiards room is silent and we take a chance and step out.
Keeping my weapon raised, I slip my free hand into Grace’s and lead her to a supply closet. It’s rammed with gaming supplies and once we’re inside, I lock us in.
“Are you OK?” I ask, swiping a lock of Grace’s hair from her face. I wince at the damage. Her cheek is bruised and one side of her mouth is swollen.
