Chapter 6 - Dmitri
I jolt awake from a light doze at the sound of muffled noises outside my office. My body tenses, instantly alert. Reaching for the phone, I dial Alexei's number. He answers after the first ring. For someone who sleeps like the dead, Alexei has never not picked up a call at the first ring.
"They're here." I don't need to say more.
"Got it." His reply is clipped.
I hang up and grab my gun from the desk drawer. The weight of it feels reassuring in my hand. My fingers brush the hilt of the knife I always keep close, the blade that has saved my life many times.
I expected this. Sergei would never sit idle while someone challenged his authority. His men aren't here to rescue Valentina—they've come for me. For us.
I leave my office and move silently through the dimly lit corridors. The house is eerily quiet, with only the soft thud of my footsteps on the hardwood floor. I stay close to the walls, using the shadows for cover.
At the end of the hallway, I fling open the door. A figure emerges from the shadows, gun raised. I react with instinct honed by years of survival. My knife flashes in the dim light as I sidestep him and thrust the blade into his exposed throat with lethal precision. The body drops to the floor with a thud.
Alexei appears at the other end of the corridor, his eyes alert and gun drawn. We exchange a terse nod. He turns left; I go right.
I move swiftly down the hallway, my footsteps silent on the hardwood floor. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I approach the next room. I pause, listening for any sound that might give away an enemy's position. Hearing nothing, I kick open the door.
Two men whirl around, guns raised. I don't hesitate. Two quick shots, and they fall to the ground. I step over their lifeless bodies, scanning for more threats.
A shuffle behind me is my only warning. I spin, my knife slashing in a deadly arc. Another man falls, clutching his sliced throat. Blood sprays the wall in a gruesome pattern.
The tang of copper fills the air as I move deeper into the house. Alexei's voice echoes from somewhere ahead, followed by a burst of gunfire. He's engaged the enemy.
I round a corner, and a figure looms in the shadows. Before he can react, I'm on him. My blade finds its mark, sinking into his chest with sickening ease. He gurgles, eyes wide with shock as I twist the knife. Another body joins the growing pile.
Shouts erupt from the entrance hall. Shit, more of Sergei's men. I break into a sprint, boots pounding against the floor.
I skid to a halt as a group of armed men appears. Our eyes lock, and a hail of bullets rips through the air. I dive for cover, returning fire with controlled bursts. One man goes down, then another. Metal glints in my periphery. I pivot, knife flashing to deflect the blade aimed at my heart. My attacker presses forward, raining down brutal strikes. I parry and counter, searching for an opening.
His knife slices through my defenses, burying itself in my stomach. White-hot agony lances through me as I stagger back. Gritting my teeth, I lunge forward, slamming him against the wall. My blade finds its mark, sliding between his ribs with a crunch.
I clutch my stomach, gritting my teeth against the searing pain as warm blood seeps through my fingers. Fuck, that was a deep one. I'll need to get patched up soon before I bleed out.
Alexei rushes in, his eyes widening at the sight of my injury. "Dmitri! You're hit!"
I give him a strained nod, trying to downplay the severity. "I'll live. What's the status?"
Alexei's face is grim, but his voice is steady. "House is secure. No more of Sergei's men, at least for now."
I exhale a shaky breath, wincing as the motion sends another jolt of agony through my abdomen. Getting stabbed never gets any easier, no matter how many times it happens.
One of our men appears behind Alexei, giving a curt nod to signal the perimeter is clear. Alexei returns the nod before turning his attention back to me.
"We need to get that wound treated," he says, his tone brooking no argument.
I grit my teeth and nod again, the room starting to spin from the blood loss. Alexei loops an arm around my shoulders, supporting my weight as we make our way to my room. Each step is like another blow, but I push through the haze of pain. Showing weakness isn't an option, not when so much is at stake.
Alexei gently lays me down on the bed, his brow furrowed with concern. "We need to get you patched up."
I try to sit up. "Get everyone ready to move locations. We can't stay here after this attack."
Alexei places a firm hand on my shoulder, keeping me from rising. "I know what to do, man. You just relax and let me handle this."
His tone is calm but leaves no room for argument. I know better than to protest. Alexei may be the joker of our crew, but he's as lethal as they come when the situation demands it.
I nod and ease back onto the bed, the soft mattress doing little to dull the throbbing ache in my gut. Alexei retrieves a med kit and efficiently cuts away the blood-soaked fabric from my wound. I hiss as he applies a cloth, pressing down firmly to stanch the bleeding. The white material quickly blooms crimson. He works with practiced ease, winding a thick bandage around my midsection.
"That should hold for now," he says, giving the dressing a final tug to secure it. "But we need to get you proper medical care soon."
I start to nod, but the room tilts alarmingly. Exhaustion crashes over me in waves, the adrenaline finally fading from my system. Alexei's face blurs as I struggle to keep my eyes open.
"Rest." His voice seems to come from far away. "I'll have us ready to move in an hour."
I try to reply, to tell him to be careful, but my eyelids feel impossibly heavy. Darkness encroaches on the edges of my vision as I finally surrender to the welcoming oblivion of unconsciousness.
I wake with a start, the car's motion jostling me back to consciousness. Disoriented, I blink against the sunlight filtering through the tinted windows. My hand instinctively moves to my injured abdomen, probing the fresh bandages.
"Easy there." Alexei's voice comes from the driver's seat. "You took a nasty hit."
I turn my head, gritting my teeth against the flare of pain. Valentina sits beside me, her eyes wide with concern. Our gazes lock, and a storm of emotions rages behind her irises—fear, confusion, relief.
"Dmitri..." She reaches out, her fingers ghosting over my arm. "Are you okay?"
I fix her with a steely glare, ignoring her question. Now is not the time for sentimentality. "Alexei, status report."
Alexei's eyes flick to the rearview mirror, meeting my gaze. "Everything's going according to plan. Some of the men are already at the new safehouse setting up. Others stayed behind to clean up the mess."
A terse nod is my only reply. Good. I start to sit up straighter, needing to regain some sense of control. Pain shoots through my body to my head. I suck in a sharp breath, my vision graying at the edges.
"Dmitri!" Valentina's hand is on my arm again, her touch burning through the haze of pain. "Don't move. You'll reopen your wound."
I shake off her concern. Showing weakness is unacceptable, especially in front of her. I force myself upright and fresh blood spreads across the crisp white bandages. I grunt as the car jostles over a pothole, sending a fresh wave of pain through my abdomen. "Did we..." I break off, grimacing. "Secure one alive?"
"Two of them. They're with the first group at the new safehouse."
My gaze shifts to Valentina beside me. She's watching me with those expressive eyes, concern etched across her delicate features. Our eyes lock for a charged moment before I abruptly tear my gaze away.
The car slows as we approach our destination, a nondescript warehouse on the outskirts of the city. Alexei kills the engine and hurries around to my side to open the door. He loops an arm around my shoulders, steadying me as I fight a wave of dizziness.
Valentina follows close behind, her presence both a comfort and an irritation that I can't afford right now. Gritting my teeth, I focus on putting one foot in front of the other as Alexei guides me inside.
He lowers me on a bed once we get there. Valentina hovers nearby, gnawing her lip. Before I can protest, she moves toward me, reaching out to unbutton my shirt.
I catch her wrist in a vise-like grip. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" I growl.
She meets my glare steadily. "If I remember correctly, I was studying to be a doctor. And I graduated with flying colors."
Of course she did. Valentina always was brilliant.
I let go of Valentina's wrist, her skin burning against mine. "Good for you," I sneer, "but I don't need your fucking help."
Alexei steps forward. "Dmitri, let her take a look." He jerks his chin toward my bloodied bandages. "The doctor is still a ways off."
I hold his gaze for a tense moment before giving a curt nod. Valentina doesn't wait for further permission. Her deft fingers make quick work of unwinding the soiled dressings. She sucks in a sharp breath as the wound is revealed, the gash still oozing sluggishly. "Shit..." Her eyes flick up to meet Alexei's. "Do you want him to die of infection?"
Alexei bristles, anger flashing across his features. "The fuck did you just say to me?"
I level a warning glare at him. "Alexei."
He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling a frustrated breath. "Sorry." His gaze drifts back to Valentina, begrudging respect in his eyes. "What do you need?"
"You didn't disinfect the wound properly." Valentina's tone is clipped, all business now. "At this rate, he'll be lucky if he doesn't get sepsis."
Alexei grunts, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. "Right. I'll grab the med kit."
I grit my teeth as Valentina's fingers work to undo the buttons of my shirt. Her touch is featherlight, but it still sends tremors down my spine. As the fabric falls open, she pauses, her breath catching in her throat. Her eyes widen at the sight of the scars crisscrossing my torso, mementos from years of violence and hardship. I tense, ready for the questions I know are coming.
"Don't ask," I growl, my voice edged with warning.
Valentina's gaze flicks up to meet mine. "Did my father do this to you, too?" The words tumble out, laced with anguish and disbelief.
A harsh bark of laughter escapes my lips, the sound devoid of humor. "Your father doesn't get all the glory." My jaw tightens as the memories threaten to resurface. "I've lived a long, hard life, and these are just souvenirs."
Valentina's eyes widen further, but she doesn't ask for clarification. Instead, her fingers trace one of the jagged scars with a light touch, sending shivers racing across my skin. I hold my breath, caught in the intensity of the moment.
The air thickens with tension, charged and electric. Her fingers continue their exploration, leaving a blazing trail in their wake. My muscles tense beneath her touch.
A clatter at the door breaks the spell. Alexei strides in, med kit in hand. He pauses, taking in the scene before him. A slow grin spreads across his face as he gives an exaggerated wink. "Sorry to interrupt the lovebirds."
He sets the kit down with a loud clang before retreating, hands raised in mock surrender. "I'll give you two some privacy."
I bite down hard as Valentina cleans the jagged wound, her touch surprisingly gentle despite the sting of disinfectant. She works in silence, her brow furrowed in concentration. Wrapping a fresh bandage around my midsection, she secures it with deft fingers. "We'll need more supplies," her voice is barely above a whisper, "and painkillers."
I open my mouth to respond, but the words catch in my throat. Her shoulders are trembling, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She ducks her head, but not before I see the anguish etched across her delicate features.
With a weary sigh, I reach out and gently tilt her chin up to face me. Tears streak down her cheeks, her lower lip trembling.
"Why are you crying?" My tone is curt but lacks its usual bite. "I'm the one injured here."
She doesn't respond, fresh sobs shaking her slender frame. Rolling my eyes, I pull her toward me, ignoring the flare of pain as she settles awkwardly against my chest. I stroke her hair, the silky strands tangling around my calloused fingers.
"I'm not going anywhere, Valentina." My voice is low, meant only for her ears. "It'll take more than this to kill me."