25. Raven

25

RAVEN

Coughing so much my chest throbbed, Ivan propped me up on his shoulder as he helped me out of the burning building. I was barely standing on two feet anymore, and as I fell to my knees and coughed up a lung, I wondered if anyone else got out alive.

"What the hell was that?" I turned a scathing glare on Ivan.

He chuckled like always. "It was necessary. The only way to win is total destruction."

I shoved to my feet, swaying slightly as my head spun. "I wasn't on board with killing all those people."

"I told you, I do things my way. The only way to ensure your freedom was to kill them and you."

My body stilled at his words. "Kill me?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Raven. The men who came here today from the mob are only a small faction. There are others waiting to learn of your demise." He pulled a knife from his belt and slowly walked toward me. "I think it is time we give them what we need."

"Ivan…" I took a step back, my heart thumping hard in my chest as I stared at the knife. Long and wicked looking, that thing would slice me in two. But I had no way out. There was nowhere for me to run that he wouldn't find me. "Just think about this."

"I have, my dear. You are a casualty of war."

"We had a deal," I reminded him.

"And I will collect. As soon as I am finished with you." He grinned wildly at me and lifted his hand above his head.

I gasped, holding my breath as I prepared to take on this man and fight to the end. He was older, but that didn't mean much. He was a former KGB agent. He probably knew more ways to kill a person than I had even heard of.

"Dasvidaniya, my little kitten."

"Ivan!" The shout startled both of us, and as he turned around, I prayed a reprieve was in my future. But when the figure stepped away from the building, my heart sank.

The Russian.

Yet another man with a heavy accent for me to compete with. Was I ever going to catch a break? He stumbled over to us, coughing hard as he approached. The look on his face was downright lethal, but as he saw the blade in Ivan's hand, he grinned.

"So, she lives."

"I was just about to see to her end."

"Not yet." The Russian looked at me, his eyes trailing over me before he grinned. "She still has something I need."

"And what is that?"

I'd like to know the same thing.

"The eggs?—"

"They're gone," I said quickly. "You saw it with your own eyes."

"Yes, about that…you are a tricky little thief. You give your word for a meeting, but then a Frenchman and your Allsebrook show up to ruin the deal. I never trust a thief."

"That wasn't me," I argued. "I don't know how they found us!" Not entirely true. I knew Ivan was the one who told them where we'd be, but I wasn't willing to turn him over to The Russian. Despite Ivan trying to kill me, he was still closer to an ally than this man. I had to let this play out.

He walked closer, then his hand struck out, grabbing me by the hair and yanking me toward him. "We shall see." His eyes twinkled as he laughed in my face.

I briefly saw Ivan move behind him, but if I was hoping he would knock the Russian out or help in any way, I was sorely mistaken.

"My friend, I feel it is only right I help you with this task." He turned and faced the building. "As you can see, our location is no longer safe. We must move somewhere else."

"I will take her home to New York."

Ivan shook his head. "Is too far. I have someplace closer that will…be more discreet. And there is added benefit of easy disposal."

They both tossed back their heads and laughed at me. I couldn't believe it. After everything that had happened with Ivan, he was not only turning his back on me, but he was going to allow this man to torture me for information. So much for doing a favor for FNG. He should have just killed me and put me out of my misery a long time ago.

The Russian jerked me by the hair, tossing me over to Ivan, who caught me and spun me around, gripping my chin in his hand.

"This will be fun. It has been too long since I got to use my knives. You will allow me the honors, no?"

The Russian looked at Ivan with menace in his eyes, but nodded slightly. "For you, I will allow."

"Good. You will follow me to location. This is going to be fun."

Ivan spun me around harshly, leading me away from The Russian while holding onto me with a tight grip on my arm. Nerves fluttered through me as I tried to find a way out of this. Ivan planned to torture me for information.

Information about him.

I was so confused as to what was going on here. I stumbled along beside him, trying to come up with a plan. I could jump out of the car as we were driving down the road. Granted, I would probably die of my injuries if we were driving too fast, but it was better than being interrogated by Ivan.

"Just go with me and everything will be fine."

"Really?" I huffed. "You certainly looked like you wanted to kill me before he came along. Why should I believe anything you say?"

"It was all for show," Ivan mused. "I would not actually have killed you."

"Well, that's good to know. Just a little mutilation to make it believable?"

He shot me a frown. "Mutilation? No. I only needed sample of your blood to fake your death properly. There are certain things needed to get a death certificate. I could have easily produced woman with burned off face in no time. It would have satisfied the Russians, but I did not expect Yuri to live."

"Yuri?"

"Our Russian friend who wants to interrogate you. Is good. I will fix everything." He pulled out his phone and dialed. "Ah, FNG, I am in need of your services. We are about to give performance of lifetime…You do? Is good. Send me address and prepare for me. We will need torture devices…" He chuckled into the phone. "I will be waiting."

He turned to me with a grin.

"You take way too much pleasure in this."

"Is what I am good at. Come, we must prepare you to die." He popped the trunk on the car and motioned for me to get in. "It won't hurt. Much."

I rolled my eyes and let him toss me inside. As the trunk closed on me, I had one final hope.

That I wasn't willingly going to my death.