29. Luca
Chapter 29
Luca
W hen Roman woke me up by calling and texting repeatedly that Irina was at his house, I didn’t hesitate before rushing here.
I turned my head in the direction of where the sound came from, my pulse racing.
And now I had no idea what I’d just walked into.
With steady strides, I made my way toward the sound, unease swirling in the pit of my stomach.
I’d made it past the main stairs when hushed voices reached me. Unfamiliar voices.
I hid behind the nearest wall and waited, cold sweat sliding down my spine.
Something wasn’t right. I could feel the eerie tension in the air as I peered around the corner.
A group of men walked down the corridor, strapped in guns and covered in what appeared to be bulletproof vests.
I pulled back, pressing myself against the wall, my breathing turning shallow at the clarity of the situation .
Fuck . I didn’t know how it was possible with the extensive security Roman had around his property, but whoever these people were had managed to breach them.
The house had gone quiet, too quiet but there was no chance that Irina and the rest hadn’t heard the bang minutes ago.
I needed to find them and fast.
Careful of my surroundings, I went up the stairs with ease, watchful with my gaze until I landed at the top.
Irritation toward my best friend brewed. Did the bastard really need to have an abnormally large house? Where the fuck was I supposed to look first?
I started opening doors, each room empty, causing my heart to speed up with adrenaline.
The floorboard creaked beneath my feet, the hairs on the back of my neck rising when I felt the presence of someone.
I’d never been wrong when it came to my intuition, even now as I shifted around, coming face to face with one of the men.
A fist came flying toward my face, but I dodged it, ducking to the side before gripping their head and twisting it in a quick motion. The crunch of bone brushed against my palms. I laid him down on the floor, peering around to see if there were any others before I removed the gun strapped to him.
I’d gone through the other rooms without being spotted but when I opened the last door, my heart stilled.
Irina’s eyes whisked to me, widening a fraction as if she were silently telling me to leave.
I shifted my gaze to the other side and saw why .
Without hesitation, I lifted my arms, taking aim at the fucker.
“You shoot me,” Viktor said, his voice slicing through the air as he gazed at me while taking the safety off his gun. “And it’ll only take a second for me to put a bullet through her pretty little head.”
The last thing I expected to see was Viktor holding his cousin at gunpoint, but it only made me believe that he’d be true to his word.
“Drop it.”
I peered at Irina, adrenaline strumming through my veins from her vulnerable position. If I could divert Viktor’s attention, I might be able to disarm him.
“Now!”
“Alright.” I slowly set the gun down before raising my hands and stepping further into the room.
“Why are you doing this?” Irina asked, her tone laced with disbelief.
“You know why.” Irina shook her head, and his face turned an angry shade of red. “Yes, you fucking do,” he seethed.
“No, I don’t.” A strike of her fiery temper peeked through as she stared him down. “Why would I know why my cousin is threatening to kill me!”
Viktor barked a laugh, keeping his darkened gaze on both of us. “Did the torture null your intelligence, princess?”
Cold sweat ran down my spine as the meaning of his words registered. My jaw strained when I looked over at Irina. She had gone still, a sickening hue coloring her cheeks .
“That was you?” I asked through gritted teeth, narrowing my eyes at Viktor.
“I would’ve gotten rid of her and that undeserving bastard she calls brother if you hadn’t shown up.” He snarled at me.
“Why?” Irina’s voice cracked, and I internally screamed at her to not give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.
“I was the next heir to the Bratva.” Viktor answered her as if it were the most common knowledge. “ My father died yet yours replaced him and now he wants his bastard son to take his position as Pakhan .” He spit on the floor in disgust.
“Your father made that decision, and you know it.”
As if she struck a nerve, he paused for a brief moment, an eerie sensation crawling along my skin.
“On second thought, I’ll kill him first.” Viktor changed direction, aiming his gun at me before pulling the trigger.
The bang ricocheted off the walls, and I waited for the impact but the bullet never struck me.
My ears rung, my feet threatening to pull from under me as I watched Irina fall to the floor.
No .
“Irina?” Her name fell off my lips in a rush, my eyes deceiving me, and refusing to accept what she’d just done. I fell to my knees beside her, turning her into my arms. “What did you do sweetheart, huh?” My voice cracked as tears blurred my vision.
Her gaze landed on me, blue eyes slowly dimming as she bled out.
My heart thrashed wildly as I pressed the wound in her chest to stop it from bleeding further.
“Perhaps I won’t kill you after all.” I’d forgotten Viktor was in the room until he spoke again, fury surging through my veins. “Watching you suffer as she dies is far more satisfying.”
He kept talking, but I couldn’t register anything beyond the woman dying in front of me. The woman I loved.
I loved Irina, and she was dying.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered, pressing my forehead to hers, trying to keep her awake when all I felt was her slipping away as the seconds ticked by. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Luca. . . ” The pain in her voice as she said my name brought out a guttural groan from me.
It was hard to breathe, and I knew I wouldn’t survive this. “If you die, Irina, I’ll never forgive you.”
I pulled back and saw tears pool in her eyes, emotion softening her features.
“Don’t do this to me, il mio piccola ribelle . Please.” My own tears fell on her cheeks, each one carrying a piece of my broken heart because if she died, she’d take me with her.
An audible sigh escaped her before she opened her mouth to speak but instead of words, blood sputtered out.
Fear grasped me in its claws, and I held Irina closer, my sanity threatening to shatter.
Yet, she never looked more at peace. The corners of her mouth lifted and for the first time, she genuinely smiled at me.
“That’s right, sweetheart. Just keep looking at me like that,” I cooed, sniffling as I pushed stray hairs out of her face. “I’m going to get you help.”
It didn’t matter what I said.
Her eyelids drooped halfway, and I shook her, palming her jaw as I became frantic. “Hey! You’re not dying, you hear me?” A single tear streaked down her cheek and fell on my thumb. “Don’t you dare fucking leave me.”
“You motherfucker.” A pair of hands grabbed me by the collar, wrenching me away from Irina but I couldn’t remove my gaze from her limp body to see who. Until their fist hit me in the face causing me to stagger backward.
I turned my head and my body tensed as I came face to face with Ivan Morozov. Viktor nowhere in sight.
Cold sweat raced down my spine. He thought I did this to his daughter and even though I could, it would be useless to prove otherwise.
I was running out of time.
All I could focus on was Irina and holding her in my arms again. “Please.” One word yet it held more meaning than any other.
The bullet hit me hard and fast, knocking me to the floor next to Irina.
I waited for the pain to consume me, but I was numb as I stared at her across from me.
“Irina,” I whispered, tears trickling down my face. I needed to say those three words to her. Words I should’ve said weeks ago. And even if she couldn’t hear me anymore, I needed to say it aloud. In some tragic way, I wanted her to know I loved her in this life, and I’d love her in the next.
“I love you.”