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72. Chapter 72

72

Wren

I burst through the door at the top of the stairs, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest. The hallway stretches before me, all fancy wallpaper and plush carpet. At the end, a set of double doors stands slightly ajar. Bingo.

As I creep closer, the muffled sounds of a struggle reach my ears. Alex's whimpers, barely audible, make my blood boil. I tighten my grip on the gun, my palms slick with sweat.

Just as I reach for the handle, a thunderous explosion rocks the building. The walls shudder, dust raining down from the ceiling.

What the fuck?

I charge in, gun raised, and for a split second, Elena's eyes go wide with shock. She wasn't expecting me, that's for damn sure.

Elena stands there, looking like a fucking Vogue model in the middle of a warzone. Her silk blouse is splattered with blood, and there's a wild look in her eyes that makes my skin crawl. And there, struggling in her arms, is my baby boy.

"You!" she hisses, her accent thick with rage. "How the fuck did you get out?"

Elena's grip on Alex tightens, making him whimper. He struggles weakly against Elena's grip, his little face streaked with tears. A dirty cloth is shoved in his mouth, muffling his cries. His blue eyes, so much like his father's, are wide with terror as they lock onto mine.

Motherfucker. She's gonna pay for this. Every goddamn breath left in her body, I'll make her regret.

I take a step forward, every muscle in my body coiled tight. "Let him go, you psychotic bitch," I snarl.

Elena's face contorts with fury. She shifts Alex in her arms, using him as a human shield. "One more step and I'll slit his throat," she spits, pressing a knife against Alex's neck.

My heart's pounding so hard I can barely hear over the rush of blood in my ears. This is all wrong. Elena's losing control and that makes her more dangerous than ever.

Another explosion rocks the building, closer this time. Elena's eyes dart to the window, a flicker of panic breaking through her rage.

"It's over, Elena," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Whatever plan you had? It's going to shit right now. Let Alex go, and maybe you'll get out of this alive."

Her laugh is sharp, bordering on hysterical. "You think I'm afraid of you? Of them?" She presses the knife harder against Alex's throat. "I still have all the cards, Wren. And if I'm going down, I'm taking this little bastard with me."

Elena laughs, the sound grating on my nerves. She shifts Alex in her arms, and I see him wince. My vision goes red.

I can't take it anymore. The sight of my son in pain, terrified, it's too much. I slowly raise my hands, the gun suddenly feeling like it weighs a ton.

"Look," I say, my voice cracking. "You can take me. Take me instead. Just… just let him go." I'm holding onto my tears by a thread, but I don't care how weak I look. All that matters is Alex.

Another explosion rocks the building, closer this time. Plaster dust rains down, coating Alex's dark hair white. He whimpers through the gag, his tiny body trembling.

"Shh, shh," Elena coos mockingly, pressing the cloth tighter against Alex's mouth. "Mommy's here now. Isn't that nice?"

My hands shake with rage and fear. "I swear to God, Elena, if you hurt one hair on his head—"

"You'll what?" she snaps, all pretense of calm vanishing. She presses the knife to Alex's throat, and I feel my world tilt on its axis. "This little brat already took a chunk out of me. Maybe I should return the favor."

Alex's eyes meet mine, pleading, terrified. Tears stream down his chubby cheeks, soaking into the gag. I've never felt so helpless in my life.

"What do you want?" I ask, my voice cracking. "Just… just tell me what you want. Please."

Elena's lips curl into a cruel smile, blood from her bitten ear staining her collar.

God . No. No .

"What I've always wanted, darling. D's head on a platter. And you're going to deliver it to me."

My stomach churns, bile rising in my throat. Fuck. This bitch is insane.

"You're out of your goddamn mind," I spit, my voice shaking with rage. "D's not even here. Let Alex go, and maybe you'll get out of this shit show alive."

Elena's laugh is sharp, bordering on hysterical. She shifts Alex in her arms, pressing the knife harder against his throat. A thin line of blood appears, and my world narrows to that single crimson drop.

"Okay! Okay," I choke out, my hands trembling as I reach for my phone. "Just… just don't hurt him. Please."

Elena's eyes gleam with triumph as I dial, praying to a god I stopped believing in years ago. The phone rings once, twice—

And then the world explodes.

The wall behind Elena disintegrates in a hail of gunfire and debris. She stumbles, her grip on Alex loosening for just a split second.

I don't hesitate. I lunge forward, my body moving on pure instinct. My shoulder slams into Elena's gut, and I feel Alex slip free as we hit the ground.

We roll across the floor, a tangle of limbs and fury. Her knife flashes, slicing across my cheek. I barely feel it. All I can think about is Alex.

I slam my forehead into Elena's face, feeling cartilage crunch. She howls in pain, blood gushing from her broken nose.

Through the haze of dust and gunsmoke, I see a familiar silhouette step through the hole in the wall. My heart stops.

D.

He towers over us, looking like a fucking Viking warlord. His eyes, cold as Arctic ice, lock onto me first, then shift to Alex. The look on his face is enough to freeze hell itself.

"Well, well," Elena sneers, blood bubbling from her nose. "Look who decided to join the party."

But there's an edge of uncertainty in her voice now. She knows she's fucked.

I scramble toward Alex, my hands shaking as I reach for the cloth in his mouth. "It's okay, baby," I murmur, trying to keep my voice steady as I pull the gag free. "Momma's here."

"Momma!" Alex wails, his little arms reaching for me. I pull him close, breathing in his scent, feeling his tiny heart hammering against my chest.

"Shh, shh," I whisper, running my hand over his hair. "It's okay. You're safe now." My eyes are locked on D, silently pleading with him to get Alex out of here.

I'm so focused on calming Alex, on the warmth of his little body against mine, that I don't notice Elena moving. Don't hear her stumbling footsteps as she circles behind us.

It's not until I feel something cold and hard press against my temple that I realize how badly I've fucked up. Shit. Where the fuck did she get a gun?

D takes a step forward, and the room crackles with tension. His men flood in behind him, guns drawn, ready for war.

"Let. Them. Go." D's voice is low, dangerous. It sends a shiver down my spine.

Elena's grip on me tightens, her finger twitching on the trigger. "Or what?" she hisses. "You'll kill me? Go ahead. But I promise you, I'll take your bitch with me."

D's eyes meet mine, and for a moment, the world falls away. I see rage there, yes. But something else, too. Something that looks an awful lot like fear.

"Wren," he says softly, and my name on his lips is like a prayer and a curse all at once.

I close my eyes, steeling myself. This ends now. One way or another.

"D," I whisper, my voice steady despite the gun at my head. "Get our son out of here."

And then I move.

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