31. Alexei

31

ALEXEI

I could be too late.

Bianca could already be dead.

I’m sick to my stomach.

My solnyshka .

Zhizn’ moya .

I can’t lose her, not when we’ve barely gotten started. There’s so much we have left to learn about each other, so much life left to enjoy together.

I won’t let Mario Gilanto be the reason my family is torn apart.

My phone rings as I race toward Chinatown, the interstate a blur on either side of me as I push my foot to the floor.

I answer the call. “Anton.”

“I’m already here. Dimitri just called and filled me in. I’ve brought back-up.”

“What’s the status?”

“At least a dozen covering the exits, but they look like they don’t know their asses from their elbows, so it should be a swift take out. I’m betting on the same once we’re inside.”

“Any sign of Gilanto?” My body shudders at the sound of his name on my lips.

The fact that he managed to get his filthy, murderous hands on my solnyshka has me seeing red.

I’ll have him begging for death by the time I’m finished with him.

“Not yet, but I doubt he would leave if he’s got both the girls inside. He wants you to come to him.”

“I know. How far out are the others?”

“Ten minutes. Fifteen tops.”

I squeeze my hands into the leather of my steering wheel, my stomach feeling like lead as I look to the clock on my dashboard.

“ Fuck !”

“I could send some of my men in now, but if Gilanto gets a whiff that you’re not here, he might be inclined to send you a message.”

“No one enters that property without my say. We can’t afford to make any wrong moves. Gilanto is unpredictable.”

“ Da, Pahkan .” Anton hangs up the phone.

My body is running on autopilot as I cross back over into the city.

I barely notice the other cars coming toward me, or the lights as they turn red. All I can picture is my solnyshka bleeding out in my arms as she takes her last breath.

Was this how it was always meant to end? With death tapping on my shoulder the moment it could sense I was starting to live again? Ready to crack open my heart once more and leave me to bleed out too?

I glance at my navigation. I’m five minutes away from the abandoned factory where Gilanto is holding Bianca and Zara prisoner.

I don’t care how many people he has guarding the property, I won’t hesitate to put a bullet into each and every one of their skulls if I have to. If it means saving Bianca, I will happily let their blood stain my hands.

As I approach the derelict, red-bricked property, I turn down a side alley where I know my brothers and men will be waiting.

I catch Anton’s eye as I put the car in park.

He nods once.

They’re ready to go.

Reaching across to the glove compartment, I pull out four magazines of bullets and another handgun which I load up.

It’s likely I’m going to need them all.

I take a final deep breath as I exit the car and stalk toward my men. My family.

Dimitri’s face is like stone.

“Is this everyone?”

My brother nods. “This is everyone.”

I balance the gun in my hand, double checking it as I think through the best course of action.

“Surround the property. Take out whoever you have to in order to get inside.”

I look to each of my brothers, and then Anton, Feliks, and the dozen other men they’ve brought with them.

“Mikhail, Danil, you head around the back. Dimitri and I will take the front along with Feliks and Anton.”

My two youngest brothers nod, their eyes filled with determination as they ready their weapons.

It’s time to save my wife. “Don’t leave anyone alive, and leave Gilanto to me. ”

“Let’s move.” Anton crouches low against the brick wall, gun at the ready.

“Ready?” Dimitri moves to stand at my side.

I flex my fingers before clicking the safety off my gun. “Ready.”

“See you on the other side, brat .” A feral grin spreads across his face as he claps a hand on my shoulder.

I take one last steadying breath, letting my eyes close for just a second as Mario Gilanto’s face fills my mind.

“Let’s go kill this son of a bitch,” I snarl before rounding the corner and killing the first man.

Like roaches, Gilanto’s men swarm from the shadows the moment the first shot is fired, their guns aimed as we surround the building.

Every time my finger pulls the trigger, and blood is spilled, my mind seems to quieten, my focus honed in on the task at hand.

I just need to get to Bianca.

Dimitri and the others can take care of the rest.

We storm the entrance, leaving a trail of bodies in our wake as we move through to the main factory floor.

It’s cold and damp, the only light coming from a few fluorescent bulbs overhead. Old rusted machinery lines the factory floor, giving Gilanto’s men plenty of places to hide.

A few of our own go down before we even know they’re there.

I dive behind a metal pillar, panting as gunfire followed by shouts of pain echoes all around.

This is going to be quick and dirty.

I take out two more from behind the pillar before I make a run for the main floor, almost colliding with Dimitri.

Shots fire from overhead and I look up to find more men on the balcony above.

“Get down!” I yell, grabbing Dimitri by the back of the shirt and throwing us both to the floor where we take cover beneath an old work table.

“Fuck, they’re everywhere,” Dimitri wipes his brow with the back of his hand.

“I need to get to Bianca. I think they’re below us.”

“I’ll cover your back.”

I nod before getting to my feet and making a run for it.

Danil is to my right. He’s fighting a guy almost twice his size.

Danil lands a punch to his jaw, knocking the guy’s head to the side. As soon he steps back to steady himself, I fire.

Danil’s already moving before the guy has a chance to hit the floor.

I spot a set of double doors at the far end of the factory floor.

It’s the only door that looks like it could take me to Bianca and Zara, so I head toward it.

A shout of pain has me whirling around to find my second youngest brother slumped over by one of the pillars, clutching at his shoulder.

“Mikhail!”

That second of distraction is enough.

An arm slithers around my neck, choking me.

I slam my elbow back into the fucker’s stomach before sending my gun upwards to collide with his chin.

He goes down in an instant, groaning.

I put a bullet through his chest before rushing over to Mikhail.

“How bad is it?” I crouch beside him.

He glances up at me, his teeth gritted as blood seeps through his fingers. “I’m good. You need to go.”

“You can’t die on me.” My voice shakes as I look at my little brother. I can’t lose him too.

“It’ll take more than this to take me down,” he grits out. “Now, go. Save Bianca.”

I clap my brother on his good shoulder before getting to my feet and sprinting across the factory floor.

Bodies are littered among the rusted machines, and the coppery twang of blood fills the air as I head toward the double doors at the far end of the factory floor.

Once I’m through the doors, I go left and down a flight of rickety iron stairs.

I sprint along a narrow corridor toward a second set of stairs at the far end that will lead to the basement. I take the stairs two at a time.

The sounds of gunshots are getting quieter.

The fight will soon be over.

I’m running out of time.

I creep along the damp corridor, my gun aimed and ready.

A few lights flicker overhead, and my footsteps echo around me.

“Gilanto! Why don’t you grow some fucking balls and show your face!”

“I wondered when you were going to show up.”

I whirl around.

Mario Gilanto steps out of the shadows, dragging Bianca in front of him, his left arm around her neck.

“It’s simple, Alexei,” he purrs as he pulls a gun from behind his back, holding it to Bianca’s temple. “Put the gun down, or Bianca dies.”

My eyes flick to Bianca’s, and the air is stolen from my lungs at the terror in her eyes. Beads of sweat cover her forehead and her right arm is half hanging out of her sweater .

She’s tied the sleeve around her forearm, the cream material stained red with her blood.

My solnyshka is hurt.

I have no choice but to do as he says. I won’t risk her life.

Holding up both of my hands, I slowly bend down to place my gun at my feet.

“All of them.” Gilanto smirks.

I look up.

The sight of his hands on Bianca makes me want to put a bullet straight between his eyes.

But I can’t afford to make any mistakes, not when Bianca’s life is on the line.

I reach into my jacket pocket and unholster my spare gun and toss it on the floor.

If it comes down to it, I’ll kill the bastard with my bare hands. I’ll probably get more satisfaction seeing the life drain from his eyes as I wrap my hands around his neck.

“I’m glad you came, Alexei. It wouldn’t be nearly as fun to kill Bianca without an audience.”

My lips pull back from my teeth as I glare at him.

“Let her go, Gilanto. We can settle this, just the two of us.”

“I don’t think so. Not now that I know you actually care for her. I’m very much looking forward to killing your wife and unborn child in front of your eyes, Koslov. Perhaps then you’ll learn how it feels to lose something dear to you.”

My nostrils flare at the mention of the baby.

“I am intrigued to learn how you found her so fast.” Mario tilts his head to the side. “Enlighten me.”

“Zara’s phone. I tracked it here.”

Mario snorts .

“Useless piece of shit she was. I should’ve tossed her in that burning wreck.”

Was?

Did he kill Zara?

“Zara!” Bianca cries.

Time seems to slow as Mario struggles to hold Bianca upright.

Her legs buckle beneath her, her face contorted as she starts to slump to the floor.

I lunge, praying that I can catch her before she hits the floor, but Gilanto clocks my movements.

He thinks I’m reaching for my gun.

My eyes widen as he releases his hold on Bianca and takes aim right at my chest

A gunshot rings through the air.

“No…” My hand tries to reach for Bianca as I wait for the bullet to find its mark.

But it never comes.

Gilanto’s body jerks once before collapsing to the floor, revealing Dimitri behind him.

“Pretty good shot, huh?” Dimitri stalks forward to nudge Gilanto’s lifeless body with his foot, but I barely register what he’s saying.

I rush to Bianca’s side, wrapping my arms around her shaking body and hauling her against my chest.

“ Solnyshka .”

“Z-Zara,” she sobs.

I look up at Dimitri, and his face pales as he reads my expression. Before I have a chance to say anything, he’s sprinting away.

“How badly are you hurt, zhizn’ moya ?”

“M-my arm.” She moans .

My chest tightens as I look down at the makeshift tourniquet she’s made out of her sweater.

She clutches her left arm to her chest, and my eyes fall to the bruising that’s starting to appear around her wrist.

Did Gilanto cuff her?

I grind my teeth together as I look at the limp body on the floor, at the blood pooling around his head.

His death was too quick, too easy.

He didn’t suffer enough.

“We need to get them to the hospital, Alexei.” Dimitri’s voice is urgent behind me. “Zara’s in pretty bad shape.”

I whirl to find my brother’s eyes full of fear as he looks down at Zara’s limp body in his arms.

Her skin is ashen and covered in sweat, and there’s a huge gash on her head that is still oozing blood.

“Zara.” Bianca’s croaked voice snaps me back to the present.

“Dimitri has her, don’t worry.” I kiss her forehead. “We need to get you to the hospital, solnyshka .”

Bianca screws her eyes shut, the last of the color draining from her face. “Please. Don’t let Zara die.”

“I’m not letting either one of you die. That’s a promise.”