Chapter 50
NIKOLAI
The room goes completely silent.
Then, all I can hear is Mila panting over the dead man.
My warrior. She did what I couldn’t.
Limping, she works her way around the body and unbuckles me.
I ignore the rods still lodged in my thigh to grab her and pull her close. “How did you do that?” I ask before kissing her gently on the corner of her bleeding mouth.
“My wrist was loose. While I was acting like I was passed out, I managed to get it more open.” She holds up her hand, showing the wear marks on her skin.
Wait. I grab her arm and look more closely. “Mila, did you break your thumb?” It sits at an odd angle from her fingers.
She shrugs. “I had to get free.”
Jesus, this woman.
“You’re still bleeding.” Without waiting for her reply, I yank on the bottom of my shirt and tear off two long strips to wrap around her oozing legs.
“Niki, you’re not in perfect condition either.” Mila reaches down and tugs the nail out of my leg, sending a new bolt of agony through me.
But, it’s worth it to hold her again.
“We have to get out of here.” I stroke her cheek before I push myself up.
Fuck, my quads shake.
How in the hell is she up and moving? I know she took those spikes to both of her thighs.
It’s a surprise when her lips thin and she shakes her head. “I have to find Daniil.”
My stomach sours.
Knowing my father, there’s a pretty good chance the poor kid is dead already.
“Okay, we’ll look for him.” I grab a machete from the table, and she picks up a pair of long knives. I feel a little better with the hefty blade in my hand.
We both hesitate reaching for the diamonds. That little bag has caused us both so much grief. I wonder if she feels the same doubts.
“Mikhail can use them.” I offer.
“I promised them to Tatiana, if that’s her.”
“Take them. If she’s the one that allowed us out, she deserves them all.” I nod.
She stuffs them in her pocket, then pauses, resting her hot palm on my arm. “When we’re done here, I never want to see them again.”
When she reaches for the door, I stop her. “No, let me. You’ve already done so much.” I don’t want her getting any more hurt.
It was killing me watching what Ivan and Dmitri did.
I’m proud of her for escaping, but I could have spanked her for goading Dmitri on. What if he had decided to just run that spike through her heart instead?
I couldn’t have handled that.
The hall is clear. When we step out, I can hear the unmistakable sound of gunfire beyond the walls.
“Sounds like the cavalry arrived.” It takes me a second to get my bearings, but I lead her down to the left where I think her brother might be.
“Do you think Tatiana came through on the deal?” she whispers from behind me.
“I doubt it. From what I hear, she never works with anyone.” When I glance around the corner, I can see two men guarding a room ahead.
Bingo.
“I’ll take the big one,” I say in a hushed tone.
She doesn’t acknowledge me, but throws something cloth at me. “Hold this.”
Then she struts past me without a shirt on.
What the fuck?
I try to get a hold of her elbow, but she moves too fast.
“Excuse me? I’m lost.” Standing just past the edge of the wall where they can see her, I can hear them both exclaim before she darts back toward me.
“Ready?” She grins, holding up her knives.
“I fucking love you,” I growl just as the first comes into view.
Just as the blade of my machete lands in his throat, she throws one of her knives to bury it in the center of the second man’s chest.
They both fall to the ground with barely a gurgle.
I leave my weapon for the chance to press her against the wall and cover her exposed breasts with my palms. “These are mine.”
Her lip trickles fresh blood when she bites it.
“I told you to stop that.” I lean in and wipe away the droplet with my thumb.
“I need my shirt. I’m not rescuing my brother half naked.” She smiles, making the split worse before she winces.
I toss her clothes back and retrieve our blades.
One of the guards is carrying a pistol. That makes me feel a little better now that I’m armed.
There isn’t a window into the cell, but it doesn’t stop her from throwing the door open.
Huddled on a small bed, a form hides beneath the thin blanket.
“Daniil? Danny?” Mila steps closer, her knives down near her sides.
It better be him.
The person turns, blinking against the light and revealing a bandage on the side of his head.
“Mila?” His voice is hoarse, but gains in energy as he sits up. “Is it really you?”
With a small cry that breaks my heart, she drops her blades with a clatter and leaps forward, hugging him tightly while sobbing.
“Oh my god, I’m so happy to see you!” She says tearfully as she tenderly kisses his forehead. Her lips leave red stains against his temple.
This is why she came into my life. Because of her unrelenting love for him. I can’t help but notice the stump of his wrist wrapped in dirty gauze.
It makes my fists tighten.
My fucking father did that to him.
He’s just a kid for Christ’s sake.
“Mila? You’re bleeding.” He puts his finger to her lips. “Are you okay?” His green eyes, so similar to hers, flick to me and I see a shadow flicker across his face.
He’s more worried about her than himself? He must love her very much.
I know the feeling.
“I’m fine,” she says as she wipes tears away from her cheeks. “I can’t believe I-we found you.” She glances over her shoulder at me with a quivering smile. “That’s Nikolai. He’s a, well, special friend.”
The sounds of weapons grow louder. “Can you walk, Daniil?” I need to hurry up this reunion.
He nods as Mila stands.
Fuck, I hate seeing her limp. I wonder if the pain is catching up with her.
She’s so damn strong. But, I hope she doesn’t push herself too hard.
I can’t believe she helps him up when her own legs shake under her.
“Here, let me.” I grab a hold of his other arm and we work our way into the hallway.
We still have to make it out of here alive.
“How did you find me?” Daniil whispers.
“Nikolai helped me.” Mila pats just above his bandaged wrist. “This place is a maze. I couldn’t have done it without him.”
“How does he know this place so well?” Daniil leans on me less as he asks.
“I was raised here,” I grumble just as we step around the corner where the bodies of the two guards lie.
Ivan stands at the other end of the hall with the short man from earlier.
Daniil’s hand slips away from me. “You’re his…his…” he stammers, backing toward Mila.
“Hello, son.” Ivan raises a pistol and fires.
Pain scorches through my chest as I move to get between him and Mila. The impact rips through me as fire radiates through my arm.
Stumbling weakly, the machete falls from my numb fingers.
No, not like this.
Raising my gun, I fire wildly in his direction.
My vision blurs as I try to track him running away. Two more shots, and I can’t see him anymore.
“Nikolai!” I can hear Mila scream and feel her cool hands on my head. “Nikolai, no! Stay with me, moy liubimyi. I love you, you can’t leave me. Please, open your eyes. You promised me that we would fight this together.”
The darkness covers her face. But, I can see her in my mind. She has a radiant smile as she leans back on the hood of my Hellcat…
“Nikolai!”