Chapter 21
WREN
My heart raced as I paced the hotel room floor.
About ten minutes had passed; I had to give Seth time to get upstairs.
All I needed was to be outside the penthouse room door to get a clear shot at Nikolai when he walked out.
I took a deep breath, slowly let it out, and walked to the door.
I could see Stefan through the peephole, standing to the side like a statue.
I only had one chance to get this right.
I opened the door, but Stefan kept his attention to the hallway. “Stefan, I need your help with something. Do you mind coming in here for a moment?”
Stefan did not attempt to move, and I contemplated running for the stairs, but he’d grab me before I could get past him.
“It shouldn’t take long,” I added, hoping that would coerce him.
He let out a frustrated huff and marched inside. “What do you need, Ms. Langston?”
Before he could turn around, I jumped on his back, securing my arms around his neck in a chokehold. He started gasping instantly and tried to free himself to no avail. After twelve seconds, he was out cold.
I pushed him onto the bed, ran out of the room, and around the corner to the door that led to the stairs. However, the breath whooshed out of my lungs when a set of arms grabbed me around the waist, and I was thrown into a storage room.
Pain shot through my entire body as I landed on the hard cement floor, the gun sliding away.
“Now, what were you planning on doing with that?” the guy taunted, picking up the gun.
“Well,” I snapped, jumping to my feet. “I’d like to put a bullet up your ass right about now.”
There were supplies to his left, and he set the gun on the top shelf.
All I had to do was climb up and get it, but there was no time.
The man towered above me, his evil leer watching me with too much excitement.
The last time someone looked at me like that, he ended up with a broken neck.
I could feel the fury building up inside of me, desperate to be set free.
The man didn’t work for Seth, leaving only one other person .
. . Nikolai. He charged toward me, but I was ready.
I ducked under his outstretched arms and kicked him hard in the stomach.
He stumbled back but quickly regained his balance, charging at me again.
I sidestepped him, grabbed a nearby coffeepot from the shelf, and swung it hard at his head.
It connected with his skull, and he crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from a gash on his head.
There was so much rage inside me that I had to let it out.
I punched him until I felt his nose crack.
His head fell against the floor, and I stood over him, pressing my foot down on his neck.
“Did Nikolai tell you to come after me?”
The man spat out a mouthful of blood onto the floor but was smart enough not to attempt to fight me.
“Yes,” he growled. “He knew you’d be here and that you wouldn’t miss an opportunity to go after him.”
Nikolai was always one step ahead; he was ready for me.
“Well, then,” I said, removing my foot from his neck, “Guess I shouldn’t let him down.” I kicked him hard in the face, knocking him out cold.
Quickly, I climbed up the shelves and grabbed the gun. My hands, shirt, and shoes were covered in blood, but I had to get out of there, regardless of whether anyone saw me.
I rushed to the door for the stairs and raced up them two at a time until I reached the top floor. There was a small window giving me a view of the hallway, and there was no one in sight. The second I opened the door and stepped through, another set of arms grabbed me around the waist.
“I’m getting tired of this,” I hissed, elbowing the guy in the ribs.
The man grunted in pain, and I recognized his voice when he growled out my name. Benny snatched the gun from my hand and let me go, his eyes wide when I faced him.
“What the fuck happened to you?”
There was a commotion down the hall, and Benny raced past me, and I followed him.
A man with a patch over his eye was trying to enter the penthouse, but the door wouldn’t open.
Benny rushed over, but before he could help, the door burst open, and a man flew out into the hallway, slamming into the wall with his face covered in blood.
“That’s enough!” a man shouted from inside the room. Then he yelled, “Get out!”
“Happy to!” Someone else shouted back.
It was Nikolai; I recognized his voice.
He stormed out of the penthouse, his hands covered in red just like mine and his clothes disheveled.
Stopping mid-stride, he met my gaze, and his eyes widened.
A few seconds later, Seth marched out, looking like he’d just gotten in a fight.
His face had no marks, but he had blood on his button-down shirt.
Seth pushed past Nikolai and grabbed my face. “What happened?”
“Looks like she’s having a bad day,” Nikolai teased.
If I said anything to Seth about Nikolai being the reason I was attacked, it would only lead to an all-out war in the hallway. Anger consumed me, and all I could see was red.
I lunged for Nikolai, but Seth held me back. “You worthless piece of shit,” I seethed, trying to pry myself out of Seth’s arms. “You killed my brother.”
Nikolai smiled. “I did. And I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you very soon.”
Hearing him admit it sent me over the edge. Seth’s arms tightened around me so hard that I couldn’t breathe.
“Tell your lapdog I hope he enjoys his liquid diet after what I did to him. I should’ve killed the fucker.”
Nikolai’s gaze roamed up and down my body. “My, how you’ve impressed me, Ms. Langston.”
A low growl erupted from Seth’s chest when Nikolai stepped toward me. “I suggest you leave here before I finish this right here, right now.”
Nikolai turned his cold eyes to Seth. “The war is on, brother. Hope you’re prepared.”
Without another word, Nikolai and the guy with the patch over his eye disappeared behind the elevator door.
Seth immediately let me go and turned me around in his arms, his hands clutching my face. “Are you hurt?”
The adrenaline had already waned, and I could feel myself about to crash.
“No. I’m just furious.”
Benny held up the gun. “She had this on her.”
Seth stared at the gun and then turned his knowing gaze to me. “Fuck, Wren.” When I said nothing, he draped his arm protectively around my shoulders. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I’ll tell you everything on the road.”
Benny followed behind us, and a few seconds later, Joey came through the stairwell door.
“Is it worse than you thought?” I asked as we stopped at the elevator.
His eyes had so much turmoil that my stomach clenched with dread. “It’s much worse,” he murmured regretfully. “And we have to be ready for anything.”
After what happened today, I believed that wholeheartedly. Even when you think you’re safe . . . you’re not.