Thirty-One
Ashlee
Both my men had always put me first, sacrificing their own safety and well-being for mine. They had demonstrated their unwavering loyalty time and time again, but yesterday morning stood out. They had dropped everything to break me down, a painful yet profound reminder of their devotion. I admired and treasured their love, but I knew they had suffered enough. Dmitry had to be eliminated from our lives, once and for all.
Was I insane for planning this? Absolutely. But the risk didn’t faze me. The only thought consuming my mind was the torment Ethan had endured at Dmitry’s hands, and it fuelled my resolve. Fate was on my side; Ethan no longer locked anything, and I had discovered the hiding place of his lethal arsenal.
As I armed myself with his tools, my pulse quickened. This was it—the moment of reckoning. I wasn’t just doing this for Ethan or the silent, steadfast support of my other protector. I was doing it for us. For our future, free from the shadow of a man who thrived on our pain.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I took the first step towards our liberation, knowing that tonight, our bonds would be tested like never before. But I was ready. Because love, in its most ferocious form, was on my side. And I would stop at nothing to protect what was mine.
As soon as Ethan and Mags left to do their days work, I found where Ethan put the card with Dmitry’s number on and made the one call which would determine our future.
My lies had been convincing enough for him to accept my offer to meet.
My pulse was thundering in my ears as I strode down the dimly lit road, the cold, unyielding metal of Ethan's gun pressed into the small of my back, a chilling reminder of the treacherous path I was about to tread. The sky was dark with the threat of a storm looking with the scent of rain in the air. Each step echoed with the weight of impending betrayal, my mind a whirlwind of fear and determination. All I had to do was convince Dmitry that I was ready to turn my back on my men, to sell out my loyalty for a desperate chance at survival.
As the shadows deepened and the meeting point loomed ahead, I steeled myself, pushing away the gnawing guilt and doubt. My resolve hardened, and I repeated the lie until it almost felt like the truth. When I faced Dmitry, I needed to be utterly convincing, my voice steady and eyes unwavering.
But the certainty of my men’s fury haunted me. I could almost feel their eyes boring into me, their disbelief and anger a palpable presence. The consequences of my actions would be severe. I forced myself to focus on the immediate task, reminding myself that in the deadly game we played, survival came first, and needs must. This was all for them.
With a final, deep breath, I stepped beneath the bus shelter, ready to face Dmitry and seal my fate.
By the time his black sports car pulled up, I had a mask of steel. I was ready to end this war.
“Krasotka, I must admit that I was surprised to hear from you. You were so adamant that everything was good.”
“Yeah, well, things change, Dmitry. Do you want my help or not? I might see the truth in what you said now, but that still doesn’t make this easy for me. His family will come for me if I do this.”
“I understand. Get in so we can go and finish this. I promised you my protection.”
I nodded, fighting to ignore the stab of guilt in the pit of my stomach. I had to remember that I wasn’t really betraying my Ethan and Mags. I was here to finish Dmitry.
The car ride was suffocating, the tension so thick it was almost palpable. My mind raced with the weight of my plan, and the presence of Dmitry only amplified the intensity. This dark, dangerous man, this monster capable of unspeakable acts without a trace of remorse, made the air crackle with fear and anticipation.
“And why is the Prezello here alone?” Dmitry's voice cut through the silence as we neared the sprawling industrial estate, his tone dripping with suspicion.
“I told you. Ethan and Mags were discussing a warehouse viewing they had planned,” I lied smoothly, keeping my voice steady.
“And Magnus thinks you’re meeting him in town?” he pressed.
“He would never say no,” I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to mask the anxiety bubbling inside me.
Dmitry glanced at me, his dark eyes piercing, but he nodded, seemingly accepting my lie without further question.
As the industrial estate loomed closer, my heart pounded in my chest like a war drum. I rubbed my sweaty palms against my jeans, praying Dmitry wouldn't notice how nervous I was. Rain began to fall against the windscreen as more than one storm neared.
My men would understand, they would forgive me once Dmitry was out of our lives for good. This was all for them, to protect them from this relentless monster. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. The moment of reckoning was near, and there was no turning back now.
He pulled the car in front of a warehouse, the tires crunching on the wet gravel as he cut the engine. “The only empty warehouse here,” he said.
I’d done my research earlier. This was on the market.
Without another word, he stepped out into the rain, the space between us thick with tension. My heart raced as I watched him retrieve his gun, the cold steel glinting under the dim streetlight. With practiced ease, he aimed at the padlock and fired, the deafening blast echoing in the abandoned site. The padlock shattered, a brutal reminder of what was at stake if I failed – my life.
My hand trembled as it hovered over my own gun. I could end this now, take my shot and be done with it. But doubt gnawed at me – my aim was terrible, and I had never fired a gun before today. One hesitant shot in the garden to test it out was all. I was woefully unprepared for this. Besides, I wanted Dmitry to see his death coming, to know it was me who ended his life. It needed to be a close shot. I released my grip. The right moment would come once we were inside.
He winked as he got back into the car, a cocky smirk playing on his lips. “Can’t have us out on display when he turns up, can we?” He said, his voice a mix of mockery and menace.
I stayed silent, my mind a storm of conflicting emotions, as he navigated the car into the large, empty warehouse. The vast space loomed around us, shadows dancing in the headlights' glare. My pulse quickened with each passing second, the anticipation of the impending confrontation almost unbearable. This was it – the moment everything would come to a head. I just hoped I was ready for it.
I stepped out of car and watched Dmitry walking towards the warehouse doors. He was soon going to realise that Ethan wasn’t coming.
“What a surprise he’ll have when he arrives here,” Dmitry grinned as he turned around.
“And what about me after all this is done with?” I needed to keep him talking, the draw him closer so I could make my move.
“You have my protection, krasotka. I can set you up in my territory where you’ll be free to live your life. I can even provide you with a new identity if need be.”
“And what if Stefan finds me?”
“Stefan won’t be around to find you. I plan on taking him out while he’s grieving for his lost son.” He strode towards me with an cocky smirk. “Magnus will also be dealt with. They all will. This is the distraction they need.”
Dmitry’s arrogance was his downfall. He fully believed in his plan, so much that he never counted on me betraying him.
It was now or never.
I yanked the gun out, aiming it squarely at Dmitry, and pulled the trigger. The blast was deafening, but I wasn’t fast enough. Dmitry saw me move and sidestepped in a flash.
He charged at me, his eyes blazing with rage, his own gun in hand. I raised my weapon, desperate to take another shot, but it was too late. Dmitry's iron grip seized my arm, wrenching it aside just as I fired, the bullet going wildly off course, shattering a nearby mirror into a thousand glinting shards.
"You've made a grave mistake," he hissed, his hold like a vice, crushing my arm with an unbearable pressure. His laugh was dark, a cruel glint in his eyes that sent chills down my spine. "Ethan was never coming here, was he? Well, he will now that I have his precious plaything."
In one swift, brutal motion, he ripped the gun from my grasp and turned the barrel on me. "This is the day that Ethan Prezello's life ends." His voice was a deadly whisper, promising nothing but blood and vengeance.
The room seemed to close in around me as he pressed the cold metal against my temple. Panic surged through my veins, but before I could react, he swung the gun with savage force at my head. Pain exploded in my skull, and the world around me blurred, then faded to an inky blackness as I collapsed into the abyss of unconsciousness.