Chapter 42
42
A sense of déjà vu hit Mihir as he drove into the compound of the warehouse. A car carrying four of his bodyguards followed him. This was where he and Anna had begun again. This was where he’d end everything to ensure Ivan was no longer a threat to his family. Anton had confirmed a few minutes ago that he’d seen Anna being escorted into the warehouse with Devina.
Mihir drove his car, a simple black sedan, deeper inside, further past the entrance of the warehouse, before he stopped and climbed out of the car. Four armed men surrounded him. His own bodyguards exited the second vehicle, weapons raised.
He smelled something, but thanks to his cold, he couldn’t make out what it was. From the side, he saw Andres reach him.
“I told you to come alone,” the large man said.
“Really?” Mihir scoffed. “Do you just expect to say jump, and I’ll respond with: how high? This was supposed to be a friendly meeting. Then why do you have armed guards surrounding me? Are you looking to go into a war with me?”
Andres’ face twisted into a sinister smile. Fucking asshole.
“ You declared war on me when you threatened to hurt my family,” Andres said.
“I wasn’t the one who started it,” Mihir replied as calmly as he could.
“But you left me no choice but to hand over my cousin Paul to you.”
Mihir flicked his hand out. “That is all old news. You said you had proof of Ivan’s whereabouts.”
Andres grinned. “Ask your men to drop their weapons first.”
“Ask yours first.”
“You’re not the one in control tonight, Oshnov,” Andres spat out. He tipped his head to the side, and Ivan appeared beside him. Mihir exhaled a slow breath. His plan was working so far.
“Hello, Mihir,” Ivan said. “We meet again.”
The phone in Mihir’s pocket beeped. It was a sign that everyone was in position. Now, only he had to keep these two men talking.
Mihir’s jaw clenched. “What is this? Why is he here?”
“I’m choosing Ivan over you,” Andres sneered, his voice a gravelly rasp. “I never forgive anyone who threatens or harms my family, and you did both. While you gave me no choice but to hand over Paul’s details to you, you became an enemy the second you threatened my nephew and my brother.”
“Hence, you decided to approach Ivan for help?” Mihir scoffed. “Why am I not surprised? You do know he’s penniless, so I’m not sure what he’s promised you, but it can’t be money.”
“Oh, I will have all the money I want,” Ivan said. “And soon. But first, ask your men to drop their weapons or…”
“Or?”
“We have your precious Ananya with us,” Ivan said. “She’s pregnant, isn’t she? Either do as I say, or she faces the consequences of your non-cooperation.”
Mihir looked to the side. His men immediately threw their weapons down.
“Where is she?” Mihir asked.
“She’s alright, for now,” Ivan replied. “I really should have targeted her instead of you that day in Kent. You survived that attack, but you wouldn’t have survived her death. You wouldn’t have been this menace you are to me today.”
Fuck. Mihir had suspected a long time back that Ivan had been responsible for his attack in London. Now, he had confirmation.
Ivan continued, “Alexander tried so hard to find the men who hurt you. But he never could, because I’d killed all of them just to ensure no one ever found out that I was responsible for the attack on you.” His face curved into a bitter smile. “Anyway, the past is over and done with. We have your Anna, now. Just shows you really don’t know how to keep the women in your life safe.”
“You mean Mrs. Braganza?”
Ivan smirked. “Yes, her. Killing her was so easy. I did it to send your brothers and you a message, that I can and will hurt those you love, any chance I get.”
A muffled thump echoed from the side. It was his brothers and friends clearing the perimeter, just as they had planned. Before Andres or Ivan could focus on it, Mihir asked, “How did you even know Mrs. Braganza was important to us?”
“There are too many people from your time in the orphanage still willing to talk. It took time, but eventually, I found someone who told me about Mrs. Braganza and your fondness for her. My man tried to get her to talk, but she refused to speak about you all. We even tried to get information about your sister, Karina. However, even on the threat of her life, she wouldn’t say a word to us.”
Sadness filled Mihir. Their old matron had been true to them till the end. She could have given Ivan’s men Karina’s picture and her whereabouts to save herself, but she’d protected them with her life. He swore, right at this moment, that her death wouldn’t go in vain.
“What do you want?” Mihir gritted out.
“I want everything that is rightfully mine. I want you to sign over everything that Alexander bequeathed to you back to me. And I want it done tonight.”
“And you think I have those legal documents in my pocket?” Mihir snapped. “It will take time.”
“That’s why we will hold your precious Anna with us till then. She will remain with us until you return to me whatever is rightfully mine.”
Ivan opened his mouth to say something, then his eyes widened. He exchanged a look with Andres, and both of them grabbed the guns from the men closest to them and held them aloft.
Armaan and Vedant had come to stand beside Mihir.
“Hello, cousin,” Vedant drawled.
“So not happy to see you,” Armaan said.
A series of loud thumps resounded from around them. A few panicked yells followed, and then some more. Unease flickered in Andres’ eyes as he looked around.
A gunshot sounded, and the man behind Ivan fell. Within a second, another shot rang, and the man behind Andres also fell. Taking advantage of the confused men, Armaan and Vedant fired in quick succession, and two other men with Andres and Ivan slid to the ground. Before Andres could even make sense of what was happening, another shot rang. The front of his chest turned red, and he flopped down.
Ivan scanned everywhere, unable to find the shooter. Mihir smiled. Vihaan Rajpoot really did know his guns. A red dot now appeared on Ivan’s chest. He glanced down and then up, fear wiping the smirk from his face. He put his gun down and held his hands up.
“Good decision,” Mihir said. “As you can guess, we are not alone. The thing is, Ivan, I already knew Andres was working with you. I knew you went to Tallinn, and I knew you met Andres there.
Ivan’s eyes widened.
“I also knew the moment you took her,” Mihir continued. “You see, she doesn’t have only one bodyguard following her. She has three. She’s the most precious person in my life. Did you really think I’d leave her unprotected?”
“We will always be one step ahead, cousin ,” Armaan said. “We could have barged in and ambushed you. We could have ended this farce long ago. We have more men and more weapons. So…”
“But you didn’t,” Ivan said, lifting his chin, “because I have Anna, and Mihir will never risk her life, not until you put down all my men. You see, I was also prepared. I’m guessing you don’t know what is happening inside the warehouse right now.”
“You will never win against me.” Ivan’s grin was pure evil. “She will die tonight, and you will live unhappily ever after.” He looked behind Mihir and yelled, “Now.”
Before Mihir could turn, a deafening bang shook them, throwing them all to the ground. Curls of thick smoke filled the air as the warehouse went up in flames. Utter chaos followed as the cars in front of the warehouse exploded one by one.
From behind him, he heard some gunshots being fired, but Mihir couldn’t care about them. The woman he loved was trapped inside a fire. He ran to the entrance of the warehouse, where the flames were rising and spreading quickly. The heat, God… it was too much. Panic blinded him, reminding him of the last time he’d been stuck in a fire seven years ago. Visions from the past mixed with the present, freezing him in place. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t breathe.
Anna . He had to think of her. He had to think of his children. God, how was he going to get her? Every part of him hurt, and his limbs refused to move. Mihir willed himself to look for a way in and found a window that wasn’t yet fully ablaze. It was the only way, his only chance.
Finally, he exhaled, forcing his way through the panic as he lunged into the flames.