35. Kat

Chapter 35

Kat

“What do you mean, she’s missing?” I gasp, struggling to keep up with Nik’s hurried strides. “She said she’d meet me later to tell me about her dad and Maxim.”

“Well, she’s gone,” Nik bites out, his hand gripping mine as he drags me across the grass. Vladmir keeps pace beside us. “And McGuire’s out for blood. More specifically, mine. He’s convinced I came here just to abduct her as payback for Maxim.”

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, my heels sinking into the soft ground. Of course, I’d wear stilettos to a potential mob showdown.

“Fuck, indeed,” Nik says grimly, glancing over his shoulder before barking something in Russian to Vladmir. The tension between them crackles like static electricity.

English, please,” I pant, still struggling to keep up.

“I asked if he knows how many men McGuire has on the property tonight,” Nik says, his tone clipped. He pulls me closer, clearly unimpressed by my pace.

“The answer is too many,” Vladmir answers curtly. “We’re outnumbered, outgunned, and on their turf. We need to get out of here now.”

Despite everything, I’m surprised Vladmir is even addressing me after earlier. “What’s the plan?” I ask, my voice rising with urgency.

“The plan,” Nik says, scanning the distance ahead, “is to make it to the car without running into McGuire’s men. Less talking, more jogging, Kat. Ditch the shoes if you have to. I’ll have to carry you if you don’t pick up the pace.”

His sharp tone stings, enough that I falter mid-step, but he softens almost immediately, lifting my hand to his lips for a quick kiss, even as he keeps moving. “Sorry,” he murmurs. “I shouldn’t have brought you here.”

“No harm, no foul,” I manage, though my heart is racing for more than one reason.

“I can’t believe I thought it was a good idea to bring you here,” he mutters under his breath. “Can’t believe I dragged you into this mess.”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s not like you actually abducted the girl. I mean… you didn’t, right?” I glance at him sideways, my tone teasing but not entirely sure of the answer.

Nik’s lips curve into a wry smile. “Not this time.”

“Well, good. And for the record, I was risking my neck long before you came into my life,” I quip, stumbling again as my heels catch in the grass.

Nik’s eyes darken with something fierce. “Kat,” he says firmly, his voice brooking no argument, “I’m getting you out of here. Safe. No matter what.”

I sigh, exasperated but strangely reassured. “I know, Nik. But running from an angry mob army is not exactly my area of expertise. So, lead the way, and I’ll follow.”

The look he gives me is so intense, so scorching, I half expect it to set me on fire right there. Without warning, he stops short, spinning me into his chest with enough force to make me gasp. Before I can process the movement, his lips crash into mine —quick, rough, and full of unspoken promises. When he pulls back, a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth.

“There’s the garage,” Vladmir cuts in, pointing to a large building a few dozen yards away.

We hurry toward it, sticking to the shadows, my hand still firmly clasped in Nik’s. When we reach the back of the building, my frustration boils over at the sight of a locked gate separating us from the car. Behind the bars, I can see it—a gleaming, dark mirage sitting just out of reach. So close, yet maddeningly far.

Vladmir slams his fist against the gate, the dull clang echoing in the tense night. Nik mutters a curse under his breath as we frantically scan for a way to open it. No keys. No panels. Nothing.

The voices of McGuire’s men grow louder, closing in with every passing second.

“We’ll have to make a run for it,” Nik says, his jaw tight with frustration. “On foot. Kat, lose the shoes. I can carry you, but it’ll slow us down.”

“If we’re fast enough, we might lose them in the woods,” Vladmir says, scanning the darkness.

“Wait,” I say, narrowing my eyes at the garage. “I think I see an access panel. It has to control the gate. I can climb in, lower it, and drive the car out. Hand me the keys.”

Nik follows my gaze but doesn’t move. “I don’t know, Kat. What if it doesn’t control the gate? Or you can’t figure it out? You’ll be trapped in there.”

“I know this will work,” I insist, determined. “And if it doesn’t, I can climb back out. Then we make a run for it.

Nik glances over his shoulder, tension etched in every line of his body. The shouts and footsteps of McGuire’s men are louder now, closing in fast. “We don’t have time for this,” he says, his jaw tight. “We need to move. Now.”

“Nik.” I lock eyes with him, stepping closer. “This is our best chance. I can do this. I know I can. You just have to trust me.”

He stares at me, his hesitation clear. For a moment, I think he’s going to shut me down. Then, with a sharp exhale, he digs into his pocket and tosses me the keys. “Fine. But be quick.”

I grin, my heart pounding, and grab his jacket, pulling him down for a quick, heated kiss. Before he can react, I pull away and sprint toward the gate. With a running leap, I grab the top of the gate and swing myself over. A twist of my hips and a push with my legs, and I swing myself over, landing in a crouch on the other side.

Vladmir lets out a low whistle behind me. When I glance over my shoulder, Nik’s expression is a mix of amazement and irritation, though warmth flickers in his eyes

“Show-off,” Vladmir mutters, though his tone is impressed.

With a smirk, I wink at them. “Told you—mad skills, baby,” I call out, already jogging toward the panel.

“Kat…” Nik says, his tone somewhere between exasperation and amusement. But his eyes stay locked on me, burning with a heat that makes my chest tighten.

“I’d say this amazing display of breaking-and-entering brilliance comes with a price,”I tease, glancing back at Nik with a smirk. “But I doubt you could afford me.”

Nik groans, dragging a hand down his face. “You can hustle me for everything I’ve got later—if we survive this. Now, hurry.”

“Relax, kotyonok . For you, this one’s a freebie,” I say, winking at him.

He lets out a strained half-laugh, half-groan, rubbing a hand over his face. “Kat,” he says, his tone dangerously close to pleading.

Flipping the panel open, I study it quickly. “All right, here’s the deal,” I call out, my tone lighter than I feel. “I’ll keep it simple for you two civilians. Normally, I’d call in A.J. for something like this, but lucky for us, I know my way around this type of panel. It’s basic tech. The catch? This model has two options: one opens the gate, and the other—well, it sets off an alarm. No way to tell which is which.”

Nik’s jaw tightens, his voice low. “You didn’t mention that before you decided to fling yourself in there.”

“Obviously,” I reply with a shrug. “You’d have said no. It’s a fifty-fifty shot. I like my odds.”

“Kat—” Nik starts, his tone sharp, but I’ve already made my decision.

“Here goes nothing.” My fingers press down on the keypad, and for a moment, there’s a hopeful silence. Then the overhead lights blaze red, and an ear-splitting siren shatters the air.

“Fuck,” Vladmir hisses, his head whipping toward the approaching shouts.

“Kat!” Nik barks, his voice sharp and angry.

“My bad!” I shout, sprinting for Nik’s car. I wrench the door open, throw myself into the driver’s seat, and mash the start button. “Step back!” I yell through the window.

Nik and Vladmir barely have time to leap aside as I slam my foot on the gas, ramming the car into the gate. The impact reverberates through the vehicle, but the gate holds. Gritting my teeth, I reverse, then floor it again. This time, the metal crumples and collapses to the ground.

“Get in!” I shout, yanking the gearshift into drive as Nik yanks open the passenger door, sliding in with a muttered curse. Vladmir dives into the back, pistol already drawn.

I stare at the gun in Vladmir’s hand, momentarily frozen, my mind struggling to process why he even has it.

“Kat. Drive the fucking car,” Nik snaps, his sharp tone jolting me back to reality.

I slam my foot on the gas, the car lurching forward as screams echo behind us. Bullets whistle past the vehicle, and Vladmir leans out the window, returning fire.

I gasp, instinctively jerking the wheel, and the car swerves wildly. Nik’s hand shoots out, grabbing the wheel. “It’s all good, Kat,” he says, his voice calm and steady. “Just keep your hands on the wheel, eyes on the road. Don’t worry about the bullets.”

“Don’t worry about the bullets?!” I shout, glancing at him incredulously. “Wow, genius advice. Why didn’t I think of that?”

The car veers again, and I grip the wheel tighter as we hurtle down the driveway and onto the main road. Nik exhales, trying to soothe me. “Shh. Just focus. You’re doing fine. Let’s put some distance between us and them.”

His words are barely out when headlights appear in the rearview mirror, too close for comfort. My stomach clenches as Nik and Vladmir exchange a look that sends a chill through me.

“What is it?” I ask, my voice rising.

Nik leans back, his gaze fixed on Vlad. “Can you drive with one hand?” he asks, his tone clipped.

Vladmir hesitates, then gives a sharp nod.

“What? Why would he need to drive with one hand?” I demand, glancing between them and the ever-approaching headlights.

Nik doesn’t answer, and neither does Vladmir. Instead, I notice something—a crude splint wrapped around Vlad’s right hand, the bandages stark against his skin.

“What happened to your hand?” I ask, my voice softer now. Vladmir shifts uncomfortably, throwing a quick look at Nik, who stares straight ahead, his jaw locked.

The realization hits me like a slap. Nik. My breath hitches. Nik broke his hand . The thought is outrageous, but the truth is written all over their faces. And then it clicks—the punishment. This possessive, unhinged man…

I grip the wheel tighter, my knuckles bone-white as anger surges through me. “You broke his hand,” I whisper, the accusation trembling in the air. Then my voice rises, sharp and shaking. “You broke his hand!”

Nik lets out a sharp sigh, running a hand through his hair. “Kat…” His tone is meant to calm me, but it only stokes the fire.

“No,” I snap, cutting him off. “Are you fucking insane ? What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Look,” Nik says, his voice suddenly hard as steel, “we can talk about this later. For now, will you please focus on driving?” His hand shoots out to steady the wheel as the car wobbles slightly.

“ Focus ?” I shout back, gripping the wheel tighter, my chest heaving. “How the hell am I supposed to focus when I just found out you’re actually insane? You broke his hand—because he touched me? What the fuck , Nik?”

Nik turns, his jaw locked tight, his eyes like dark storms as they meet mine. I’ve never seen him look so furious. “You’re damn right I did,” he growls, his voice low and simmering with danger. “You’re mine . And anyone who even thinks about laying a finger on you will answer to me.”

I gape at him, stunned, but before I can respond, he leans closer, his voice dropping into something darker, deadlier. “A broken hand was mercy. The next bastard who touches you? I’ll put him in the ground myself.”