Page 110 of Reclaimed By My Ex’s Bratva Brother

I charged.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Briony

The gunshot tore through the air. I watched the bullet fly toward me, frozen. I thought it would hit me, but a tall figure lunged in front of me. Varlam braced one hand against the ground, the other locked behind my head, crushing me into his chest.

A bullet grazed his shoulder and slammed into the concrete pillar behind us.

My heart nearly burst from my chest.

"Are you hurt?" His low voice fell against my ear.

The factory erupted into chaos. Gunfire rattled outside the door. Someone kicked it open. Footsteps poured in from every direction. People shouting. Bodies dropping. Gunpowder and dust choked my throat, but I couldn't see a thing.

Varlam blocked everything. His palm cradled my head, his arm barred my neck and shoulder, shielding me from even a stray piece of concrete. He ripped the tape from my mouth and cut my bindings. I could finally breathe.

"Briony, don't be scared." His hand stroked my head gently.

I stared into his steel-gray eyes. Calm. Focused. Like I was his entire world. The panic inside me settled.

Brinny's men were all down. But the white-haired old man's wheelchair lay toppled on its side. He was gone. The realization twisted my stomach.

"Varlam, the old man—"

"Gleb will find him."

I tried to stand. My numb legs wouldn't cooperate. Varlam caught my waist. My body slammed into his, but from the corner of my eye I caught a thin figure moving. Brinny was on her feet. She looked rough—gash on her forehead, clothes covered in dust.

Then she turned toward the fallen gun. My blood froze.

"Varlam!"

Varlam spun around. Brinny already had the gun. The barrel swung past Varlam and aimed straight at me. I saw her lips move.

"Die, bitch. You ruined everything."

The world slowed. I saw her finger squeeze the trigger. Saw the muzzle flash. Saw Makar lunge forward.

"Look out!" His roar cut through the noise.

Varlam threw himself in front of me. The bullet punched into his body. His shoulders and back went rigid. His massive frame froze for a heartbeat.

Then another gunshot exploded from Makar's hand. Brinny's body jerked backward. She looked down at the red spreading across her chest, like she didn't understand what it was. She staggered twice, then collapsed.

I didn't look at her again. Because Varlam was falling in front of me.

"No!" I reached for him.

His weight dragged me down with him. We hit the ground together. My hand touched his wound. Warmth flooded my palm. Blood poured from his side, soaking through his shirt, running between my fingers.

Every sound disappeared. Just a sharp ringing drilling into my skull.

"Varlam?"

He didn't answer. My lungs felt crushed. Air wouldn't come. The light started going black. I pressed hard on his wound to slow the bleeding.

"You... okay?" Varlam's eyes took several seconds to focus on my face. His voice came out hoarse. "Are you hurt?"