Chapter 32 Grace
Grace
Hiding out in the boathouse is just a precaution, I tell myself as Ed and I slip beyond the lights cast by the party. The cars that have just arrived are simply bringing Fitz home. Killian will keep out of sight and leave as promised. Katarina will escape tomorrow. I get my man.
My heels sink into the damp earth as we cross the lawn that extends behind the marquee, and our progress slows further when we plunge into complete darkness.
We can’t use the flashlights on our phones as they’d only attract attention.
It’s bad enough that Ed’s wearing a brilliant white suit that practically glows.
“You’ve seriously been spying on Duke?” I whisper.
“I wasn’t spying on him,” Ed says indignantly. “I was spying on Katarina and protecting Duke from himself,” He heaves out a sigh. “But I’m glad it’s all out in the open now. Do you think he really will fire me this time?”
“He’ll forgive you.”
Ed shoves his gun into the waistband of his pants and loops his arm through mine. “I’d happily hand in my resignation if it means we all get out of this in one piece.”
“He’d never accept it.”
“Just as long as I keep you safe fr–”
There’s a sickening crack and Ed drops to the ground, pulling me with him. I yelp in shock rather than fear, thinking Ed’s put his foot down a rabbit hole, but as I crawl towards him, he’s out cold. A dark substance oozes from the side of his head, collecting darkly on his jacket collar. Blood.
“Ed!” And then I scream as someone grabs me by my hair and yanks me to my feet.
My scalp burns, my arms flail and my teeth crack painfully together when my attacker slaps me hard across the face. He curses me in Russian as I claw at his face. He hits me again, this time with a closed fist and when I fall back, I fall into darkness.
I come around slowly and it takes a second or two to figure out why I’m staring at the ground. In the growing light, I see stone steps and the back of a leather jacket. My face throbs and the drool dripping from my mouth tastes metallic.
Then it comes back to me. Ed was hit on the head and I was attacked. I’m hanging over the back of a Russian’s shoulder.
Panic surges and I struggle against the arms clamped around the back of my thighs. My captor drags me from his shoulder and drops me so I land on my ass at the top of the steps. My head throbs in time with the music coming from the marquee. I’m on the terrace overlooking the party.
As I’m pulled to my feet, a face looms. Andrey.
“Utter one word and I’ll knock you out again,” he hisses, clamping his hand to the back of my neck and facing me forward. “Walk, bitch.”
Cold fear replaces panic as I’m marched towards a set of French doors.
There are people in the vast room beyond.
Three men stand at the far end of the hall, Duke and his brothers.
There’s no sign of Killian as the Moncriefs face a group that includes Katarina.
She’s gesturing to an older man in a black, woolen coat.
Andrey opens the door and I immediately feel the cold metal of a gun at my temple as I’m marched into the room. I see the horror on Duke’s face turn to cold fury as he draws his gun and aims it at Andrey’s head. A series of clicks echo through the hall as other weapons appear.
Rory aims his gun at the man in the coat. I’d thought the brother next to him was Calder, but it’s a younger man with the same russet hair. Fitz, I presume. At least something worked out right tonight.
“No one move,” commands the man Katarina had been talking to. “We haven’t finished talking.”
“I’ve finished talking,” growls Duke.
As he casts his gaze over me, I pull back my shoulders and try my best to look less afraid. A smile is beyond me, but I manage one anyway. If he pulls the trigger, we all die.
“Marmaduke,” the man in the coat says, commanding attention.
“I only need you to say two words: I do. And once you and my niece are married and our families are merged, you’ll be free to fuck your whore as often as you like.
” Katarina’s his niece, which makes this man Vasili Barkov.
The smile he gives me turns the blood in my veins to ice.
“If we clean her up, she can be Katarina’s bridesmaid. ”
Slowly, Duke aims his gun towards Vasili. “If anyone touches her, you’re the first to die.”
“Please, less of the dramatics,” Vasili replies.
“You’ve been outmaneuvered. You were always going to be outmaneuvered.
I know all about Grace Hamel. And I know you never intended to go through with the wedding to Katarina.
Your plan failed. I win.” He glances at his niece.
“You’re such a disappointment. Men are supposed to want to marry you. I shouldn’t need to threaten them.”
As he talks, I take in more of my surroundings.
Above us there are two soldiers at opposite sides of the viewing gallery, their guns aimed at Duke and his brothers.
The only Russian without a weapon is a man to the side of Vasili holding what looks like a bible.
A pastor? He’s going to marry them tonight.
“Let me be clear,” continues Vasili. “If the shooting starts, it won’t be contained to this room.
Can you imagine what would happen to the Moncrief market value if every last person you’ve invited here were slaughtered?
And rest assured that’s exactly what will happen. No one will be showing up to stop us.”
A crack, followed by a whoosh rises above the music coming from the marquee. Andrey has my head fixed straight ahead, but in my periphery, I catch the haze of red reflecting off the windows.
“You might be able to block radio waves,” says Rory, “but that flare can be seen for miles around. And our friends will know what it means.”
Vasili heaves out a frustrated sigh. “This is so tiring. Let’s speed things up, shall we?
Marmaduke, you have two choices. You either marry my niece or I take her back, and I’m starting to think that might be preferable.
It’s time to break that wild streak of hers once and for all.
” Vasili looks over his shoulder at Danyl. “I do believe I promised you the task.”
He nods. “She’ll break for me.”
I’m twenty feet away, but I see Katarina tense. Duke and Rory do the same. It’s as if they were expecting the Bratva soldier’s body to crash onto the floor in front of us, having fallen from a great height.