Chapter 15

He used a silencer, but they're not as quiet as people commonly think. Lights have switched on, causing Artyom to kneel next to me and put the gun against my head. That's a rookie mistake, placing the barrel so close. It's not needed. He could easily crouch on the other side of the courtyard with the pistol aimed at me and achieve the same effect.

Finally, the light switches off. "Bulletproof vest, clever," Artyom whispers.

My chest is finally starting to feel normal again, though I know there will most likely be some bruising.

"You don't seem too keen on finishing the job," I point out.

"Just waiting for the right time," he grunts.

"What did you mean about Mila?" I snap.

"Isn't it obvious? Your father, Dimitri, her father… They're willing or were willing to do things that made it impossible to deny they were really in charge, but you're not willing to cross that line. A man like Nikolai can make his daughter do anything he wants."

"Maybe," I say, "but you're forgetting something very important."

"I am?"

My hand slowly closes over the hilt of my knife. With the gun pressed against me, I'll have to be fast, but I've got all the motivation a man could need. Nobody is going to hurt Lia. Ever.

"I'll never let anybody hurt her."

"Who, the girl?"

"Her name is Lia. I'm going to marry her one day."

"Our surveillance tells us you only just met her."

"That's all it takes sometimes," I growl, then spring into action.