Ivy opens her eyes and fires again, walking forward. Each consecutive shot lands on her target… mostly. She shoots and shoots, and Alexei stumbles away from me as his torso becomes a mess of bloodied clothes, torn fabric, and bullet holes.
I gasp, wheezing as the pain radiating through my chest becomes restricting. Ivy keeps firing and through the loud bangs, my eyes lock on Alexei. There’s a glimmer of defeat when the final bullet hits him. He stumbles back but there’s no roof left.
Alexei falls from view, vanishing over the edge of the roof without making a sound.
Silence falls.
I close my eyes and gasp, then suddenly, I’m flat on my back and Ivy’s over me with tears flooding down her cheeks.
“Ruslan? Oh, my God, Ruslan, please wake up. Wake up, please!”
I blink slowly. “I’m here. I’m here.”
“Oh, God!” She sags forward and presses several wet kisses to my forehead. “I’m so sorry!”
“For?”
“I shot you!” She glances away down my body, but I can’t feel whatever she’s looking at. I can’t feel anything, actually, other than the warmth of her palms against my cheeks. Everything else is oddly detached, like I’m aware of my injuries but they don’t quite feel like mine.
“You’re okay,” I rasp, reaching for her soft cheek. “I was so scared I would be too late.”
“I’m okay,” she gasps. “I c-called for help. I used your phone. They’re coming. You just have to hold on!”
“Told you I’d come for you.” My voice fades slightly. “I promised.”
“You did,” Ivy sobs, continuously caressing my cheek. “You came. I knew you would. I knew.”
“I’m here.”
“Yes! But you have to stay, okay? I can’t lose you, Ruslan. I can’t. I’ve already—” She cuts herself off with a sob and leans down, kissing my lips wetly. When she lifts her head, blood clings to her chin.
My blood?
“I’ve lost enough. I love you, okay? I do, and I need you here with me for whatever comes next. Please, don’t let me continue by myself. I need you. I need you with me!”
“I’m not going anywhere,” I try to promise her, but for some reason, the words I hear in my mind aren’t what comes out of my mouth. All that reaches my ears is a soft, breathless grunt.
My chest is tight.
I can’t… breathe? Why can’t I?
My fingers on Ivy’s cheek slip and all my focus goes on maintaining that contact.
I love you too, I want to tell her, but the words don’t come. Her lips move and lights suddenly flood the rooftop, but it’s all silent.
Then, darkness comes.
36
IVY
“…the apprehension of known fugitive Alexei Sidorov is a huge accomplishment for the NYPD. In a difficult war against the organized crime that ravages this city day in, day out, NYPD officers often find themselves at the bottom of the list, but with us today is Detective Reid who will shortly, in detail, describe the incredible efforts of everyone involved with this case. Many New Yorkers will remember the plane crash a few months ago that killed almost all occupants inside, and the resulting trauma of the survivors. Experts describe the culprit, Alexei Sidorov, as a narcissistic psychopath who took great pleasure in causing such painful turmoil, not only to the victims and their families. Not only that, but Detective Reid will also tell us how Alexei’s murder of a small, ordinary family and his resulting manhunt against a survivor who remains unnamed were key to his downfall three days ago…”
The newscaster smiles brightly as she ends her segment and the news rolls into an ad break.
Detective Reid? I’ve never met them in my life, nor were any police present when the rest of the Suit poured onto the roof to save Ruslan and me. Yet somehow, there’s a detective claiming credit for stopping Alexei and putting an end to his reign of terror on New York.
“How is that possible?” I murmur from my spot on the couch, buried neck deep in blankets.
