It must be Dato, the Georgian bastard. I thought leaving him alive while sabotaging some of his businesses would give him a hint not to pry into Russia’s underground crime. But he seems to be getting bolder. Even to the point of interrupting my time with my wife on my fucking honeymoon. He’s going to really regret it when I go back. I’m going to make sure he has a shittier day than I have. And that’s for this whole year.
But who’s the older man with him? Who is Dato working with now?
“Thank you.” I stand up. “You’re free to go.”
They stare at me like I’ve lost my mind - the man with the broken knee and the one with the broken arm.
“I said go.”
They scramble up and start limping toward the end of the alley, looking over their shoulders as if they can’t believe I’mletting them leave. I gesture toward the gun on the ground. “Wifey, grab that for me.”
Zoya picks it up and brings it over, her fingers brushing mine as I take it. I lean in to kiss her, but she jerks back, her nose wrinkling from the smell. “You’re covered in blood.”
I glance down at myself and let out a short laugh. “Right.”
“Go stand in the corner,” I tell her, nodding toward the end of the alley. “Cover your ears and look pretty for me while I finish this.”
“Alexei…”
“Corner. Now.”
She hesitates, then walks to the far wall, pressing her back against it as she covers her ears.
I turn my attention back to the men. They’ve made it maybe twenty meters, trying to run despite their limps, glancing over their shoulders like they think they still have a chance.
They don’t.
I raise the gun and fire twice. Two clean shots and they drop dead.
I never give my word to dead men.
Chapter 26
Alexei
Iturn around to find myVedma. She rushes forward, limping slightly. My jaw ticks. She hurt her foot trying to protect me. “Your foot,” I say immediately. “You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine. You’re the one with bullets in you!” Her hands go to my chest, pressing against the wound. Trying to stop the bleeding. She looks terrified and on the verge of tears.
I smile.
“If only I knew it took me getting shot for you to touch me like this,” I say softly. “I would have done it myself.”
Her eyes go wide. “Are you crazy?”
“Oh,Vedma. I’m feral for you.”
She tries to pull her hand back, but I catch her wrist. Her hand is sticky with my blood, and somehow that also excites me. Knowing that she’s marked with my blood. In my mind, all I fuss about is the thought of how vampires feel when they meet their other half. Is this it? Am I even getting it right? Do vampires even have mates? Or is that a werewolf thing?
But anyway, I feel really great seeing her covered in my blood.
Bringing her hands to my lips, I blow warm air across her bloodstained hands. “Your hands are freezing. Why didn’t you bring any gloves?”
She jerks her hand away. “I don’t care about my hands right now. You’re fucking bleeding out. I need to apply pressure on the wound.”
Zoya presses both hands back against my chest. “When are they going to be here?” Her voice cracks. “You’re losing so much blood. How are you still standing? Let’s just go find somewhere to sit. You need to relax.”
My smile only widens. Everything hurts. I’m losing a lot of blood. I’m probably losing consciousness, too. But her touching me just grounds me to this earth. I feel elevated. I feel so good. I’m on cloud nine. Is this what they call obsession? Or am I psychotic? But her worrying about me, I can’t feel the pain anymore, or the bullet wound.
