Chapter 39 Calli
CALLI
The sound of shouting and gunfire outside snaps me back to reality. I need to get out of here.
I look around frantically, my eyes darting from the locked door to the heavy wooden desk to the windows draped in burgundy velvet. I rush over and push the heavy curtains aside.
A balcony. Could I? I think. No, that jump looks too far.
I let the curtains go and they swing back, covering the window with a soft whoosh.
Okay, I didn't think this part through.
Relax, Calli. Focus.
I glance over my shoulder. I don't have the poison on me anymore. I hid it in the plant downstairs, and even if someone finds it, there's nothing that can tie me to this right now. Nothing except being alone in a room with a dead man.
I start pacing, glancing over at Stavros's corpse from time to time.
Time to think like an innocent person.
If I was in here meeting him under normal circumstances, I wasn't planning on killing him. I came in here without the knowledge that death was slowly working through his veins. What would I do? How would I react?
I close my eyes, trying to imagine myself as someone else. Someone innocent. Someone who would walk into this room expecting to discuss business and instead find their host collapsed on the floor.
I would panic. I would be scared.
I would…
I stop pacing and open my eyes.
I take a deep breath, filling my lungs, and then I let out the most bloodcurdling scream I can manage.
"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!"
The door handle rattles violently before three guards burst through, their weapons drawn, eyes scanning for threats.
"Oh my god." I press my hand to my forehead, making my voice shake with what I hope sounds like shock. "He was just talking and then he just collapsed. I think he's having a heart attack!"
I stagger backward, pointing in the direction of his body, and the men follow my gaze and see him.
"Shit," one of them yells, holstering his weapon and running toward the corpse. I see him flinch when he sees him. The foam, blood, bulging eyes making him pause.
"Get a doctor," the guard yells, kneeling down beside Stavros. "Now!"
One of the guards immediately turns and sprints from the room, leaving just two behind. I inch my way toward the door, trying to look like someone in shock who just wants to escape this nightmare.
But the guard closest to me turns in my direction. His dark eyes are sharp, suspicious.
"Tell me exactly what the fuck happened."
"I… I don't know. He got a drink. Sat and then—"
I flinch. The sound of gunfire erupts. It sounds close. Too close.
The guard kneeling beside Stavros jerks his head up, his face tense. "Go see what the hell that is," he orders the man closest to me.
The man nods and rushes from the room, his boots pounding against the floor with heavy feet as he runs.
I walk toward the door again, acting scared, but the remaining guard approaches me fast and grabs my arm.
"You're not fucking going anywhere."
More gunshots ring out. There's shouting in the distance I can't quite make out.
I look up at the guard holding me and Niko's words come into my head. You're stronger than you think.
The man's focus is on the door, listening to the chaos erupting throughout the mansion. This might be my only chance.
I take a second and do something that I hope I won't regret.
I square up, remembering my fighting stance and what my trainer taught me. Feet shoulder-width apart. Weight balanced. Power comes from the legs and core, not just the arm.
With all the force I can gather, I swing. My right fist connects with his jaw in a perfect hook. The impact sends a shock of pain up my arm.
The guard stumbles backward, letting go of me.
"What the fuck," he says, his hand going to his face. "You stupid little bitch."
He lunges at me, but I'm already moving. I duck and shift to the side, just like I've practiced hundreds of times. His momentum carries him past me, and he stumbles into the side table, sending a vase full of flowers crashing to the floor.
I hear more gunfire. Whatever's happening out there is getting worse, but I can't react. I need to stay focused.
I swing again, this time aiming for his nose. My fist connects and blood immediately starts trickling from his right nostril.
Shit, that hurt my hand.
The guard swings back at me, his fist cutting through the air where my head was a second before. I manage to block with my forearm, and while it sends a jolt of pain up to my shoulder, it's better than my face.
I punch him again with my left hand. It's weaker than my right, and I can tell it doesn't do much damage, but my right hand hurts too much to use again.
He rushes at me, trying to tackle me to the ground. I know I can't match his strength, so I do what my trainer always called the failsafe strike.
I twist my body hard and drive my knee up between his legs with everything I have.
He grunts hard from the pain and immediately drops to one knee, his hands going to his groin.
"You fucking—"
He reaches for his gun with one hand while the other clutches his balls. His face is twisted with pain and rage as he raises the weapon, pointing it directly at my chest.
"Fuck this."
Time slows to a crawl. I can see every detail of the gun barrel, dark and perfectly round, aimed at my head.
I see everything in flashes. Niko's face, my brothers, Keira laughing, the life growing inside me that will never get a chance to exist.
I close my eyes and brace for the inevitable.
But instead of hearing a gunshot, I feel a warm spray hit my face. I flinch and stagger back, opening my eyes.
I see Niko.
He's on top of the guard, his arm raised in the air, holding what looks like a marble bust. He brings his hand down on the man's face. More sprays hit my dress.
I wipe my face with the back of my hand. Blood.
Niko raises his hand and brings down the bust again.
And again.
The guard's body convulses, then goes completely limp. Blood pours from his head and a horrible gurgling sound comes from his throat before that too falls silent.
Niko drops the bust, and it hits the floor with a heavy thunk. He breathes hard, his chest heaving.
He looks at me, and I can see he's been beaten. His lip is split and swollen, there's blood on his shirt, but the wild fire in his eyes fades when they see me.
"Calli," he says, reaching for me.
"Niko!"
He hugs me and immediately starts kissing my face, my hair, anywhere he can reach. "Thank god. I heard you screaming. Are you okay?" he says, shifting me from side to side, inspecting me. "Did he hurt you?"
I shake my head no.
"Where is he?" Niko asks.
This is it. Where I have to face what I've done. Beg that he knows it was not just for my family, but to protect him. Us.
"By the desk," I say, my voice low.
Niko walks over slowly, his limp more pronounced now. He stops beside Stavros's body and just stares down at his father for a long moment. His face is unreadable. No grief. No shock.
"What happened?" he asks without taking his eyes off the corpse.
I step forward, scared. My legs feel weak and unsteady.
"He was poisoned."
Niko's head quickly turns to me. "By who?"
My eyes burn as tears fill them and before I can stop them, they start running down my cheeks.
"Me," I say.
Niko takes a step toward me, and for a terrifying moment, I can't read his expression. "Why?"
The words pour out of me. "Because you know what he would've done.
My brothers, they would've come for him and who knows how that would have ended.
And you, what he would've done to you, and to me, and our baby.
He could have destroyed everything. I couldn't let that happen. Please, Niko. Forgive me."
I'm sobbing now, gasping for air between words. My chest heaves, and I can barely see through the tears.
Niko walks over to me and pulls me tight against his chest.
"I planned on doing it tonight, too," he says.
I look up at him through my tears, not sure I heard him correctly.
Niko nods. "Yeah, I stashed guns and everything, but my plan didn't turn out so well. His men ambushed me. Stavros ordered my death, but not even that could keep me from you, orea mou," he says, brushing my hair over my ear.
"You risked your life for your brothers. For me. For the family we're going to build." He kisses my forehead. "You don't need my forgiveness, Calli. You need my thanks."
I collapse against him, crying tears of joy and exhaustion and overwhelming love. He understands. He doesn't hate me. He doesn't think I'm a monster.
We hear heavy footsteps in the hallway and we both turn towards the door. Keira and Declan burst through, breathing hard, their faces flushed from running.
"Holy shit," Keira says, eyes wide, taking everything in.
"You guys good?" Declan asks, scanning the room.
We both nod.
"We should probably go," he adds, glancing toward the door.
Niko nods and walks over to an air vent near the window. He reaches inside and pulls out a gun.
"Don't ask," he says to Declan and Keira when they stare at him.
"Last gun ran out of ammo," he says, checking the gun. "Now I'm ready."
He walks up and grabs my hand and we start walking toward the door.
"I have a boat we can take. The one my father took here. Seems fitting we leave on it."