Chapter 43
Imogen
What I’m about to disclose is an act of betrayal on The Donati Famiglia, but I will not stand by and watch Rico die.
He swore his silence to Constantine. The day I married Rico, I swore my loyalty to him.
I keep my gun poised on Kirill as he watches me further enter the basement. Ma had given me the gun from the personal safe in her bedroom. I had asked her why she had it; her only response was, ‘Every woman living in a Made Man’s world should have a gun.’ I didn’t question her further.
When Ma had told me Rico was being held in the basement of our estate, two feelings swept through me.
Relief because I could navigate the walls of our home better than any soldier pa had.
And disbelief. Because I couldn’t believe in all the years I lived here, I had been so blind to never know we had a fucking cell meant for traitors in our home.
So I kept an ear out and bypassed the soldiers who were littered throughout the estate. And when I saw Pa and Sebastian leave the basement sweaty and wearing blood that wasn’t their own, I stealthily made my way in.
I creep my way closer to Rico. And I know Kirill is allowing me to. I’m not a fool to believe I can take a man of his caliber. I may be trained, but I’m not incompetent. It would be an amateur going against a professional.
“I assume you have the key to release him,” I say to him. He swings it around his pointer finger. “Then release him.”
He clucks his tongue. “Not until we have our chat.”
“Fine,” I relent begrudgingly. “You want to know if Zhen is really dead?”
“That would be the million-dollar question.”
“Not quite,” I argue, and he only raises a brow. “Knowing if she’s alive or not wouldn’t help you. But asking if I have her location…well, there’s the million-dollar question right there.”
There’s a chill residing in the air that has nothing to do with us being in a basement. “You have her location?” His voice drops a level. I swallow out of fear.
“I don’t know. Do I?” I taunt.
The muscles in his jaw flare. His hand forms into a white-knuckle clenching fist by his side. Those eyes of his darken. “Do not play games with me, princess.”
I think better of correcting him. I’ve already poked the bear. Best not to agitate him further. “Release my husband, and you’ll finally know the truth.”
“You drive a hard bargain. Sure, there isn’t any Russian blood in you?”
“Unfortunately, I have my pa’s stubbornness. But unlike him, it won’t allow me to not fight for the person I love.”
“Your pa’s stubbornness comes from pride and greed,” he says, in fact. “Yours comes from the heart. Purer. Braver. Sometimes makes you stupid.”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment or…?”
“Both.”
And it must be true because on the final swing of the key around his finger, he flicks it in my direction. It falls only a couple of inches away from my feet.
Not trusting him, I bend down slowly at the knees, gun still aiming at him, and retrieve the key.
Then, with what feels like my heart in my throat, I go to free my husband.
The key fumbles the first two tries as my nerves get the best of me. But in the third try, the cell unlocks. I open the heavy gate and dash to him quicker than the speed of light.
He’s far worse than what I feared. I can’t even believe he’s still breathing. Granted, the breaths are shallow, but they’re there.
His face is almost unrecognizable. Too many blows to the head have left him heavily swollen. Both of his eyes are nearly swollen shut. His brow is split wide open. Blood covers him like he bathed in it.
He sits in an unnatural position, but as I inspect further, I see him clutching at his ribs.
My heart breaks into millions of pieces. Tears fall like rain down my face. My hand trembles as it reaches for him.
“Shadow, it’s me.” My voice chokes.
He tries to lift his hand, but he’s too weak. I take his busted hand in my own and hold it dearly against my face. I gently press my lips against his hand. He grimaces.
“If there is a god,” he wheezes, “he is not kind. To be tortured by the feel of your lips. To hear your voice. God is cruel.”
He chokes up blood. I’m trying so hard not to panic. I gather him in my arms, and he groans from the minimal movement. I don’t know how I’m going to get him out of here. He can’t walk on his own. And I’m not strong enough to carry him.
“You have to help me,” I tell Kirill.
“I don’t have to do anything. I gave you the key. You give me my answer.”
“No.” He looks taken aback by my defiance. “You help us get out of here along with my ma, or you don’t get shit.”
His jaw ticks. “I could just kill you right now.”
“You could,” I agree easily. “But so does your chance of ever finding Zhen.”
He grunts. “Fine. I help you. Now give me information.”
“How do I know you’ll keep your end of the deal?”
“You’ll have to trust me.” The way he flashes his smile makes me not want to trust him.
“Just know I will kill you for real this time if you go against your word,” I warn him.
“It is a real shame you married Italian scum. I think in another life, you and I would be friends.”
“Keep dreaming,” I scoff. He laughs. God, he’s actually being genuine. “Zhen Haung is alive.”
I just betrayed The Donati Famiglia. It’s crazy how I don’t even feel an ounce of remorse for it. Or even Zhen, the poor woman, when he finds her. All that matters to me right now is getting us out of here alive. That’s it.
His eyes harden. “Location.”
“Rico has it.”
He grits his teeth. “What did I say about games?”
“I’m not playing games. Zhen is alive. I heard it from Constantine Donati himself. Rico has the location. If you want it, get us out of here so he survives and he can tell you.”
Another grunt. Maybe he should be named the beast instead of the boogeyman.
“You’re manipulative. I appreciate good manipulation.”
“You really are a psychopath, aren’t you?”
“Quit flirting with me,” he jests. Kirill then enters the cell and, without gentleness, lifts Rico. He screams out in pain, the sound agonizing to hear.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” I explode on him. “He’s injured you, brute!”
Kirill positions Rico over his shoulder like a fellow soldier would a wounded combatant. “If you don’t like my methods, I can leave him here.”
He begins to roll him off his shoulder, but I shout in protest. “Christ, stop! Just be careful with him,” I say in a small voice.
“You’re lucky I’m helping. You get what you get. Now, let’s move.”
Rising up on my tiptoes, I press a kiss to Rico’s forehead, uncaring of the blood wetting my lips. “I love you.”
I’m gifted a ghost of a smile.
He’s still there.
Holding onto that hope like a raft in the waters, I follow Kirill out of the basement.
When we reach the top of the steps, he pauses by the door and takes a peek out. Seeing the coast is clear, he nods his head for us to push forward.
As quietly as we can, we navigate through the estate, with me telling him where to go.
With one more corridor to go, we’ll make it to the back door. I continuously check over my shoulder, but it seems as if luck is on our side.
Once we get Rico in the car, I’ll go back for Ma.
I thank the gods above as we reach the back door. I open it for Kirill, and he gives a nod of thanks.
We slip easily into the night. And a sense of déjà vu hits me. Except now the situation is much more dire. Although it didn’t feel that way all those months ago.
“My rental is out front,” he tells me.
Shit. Cameras will definitely catch us. We’ll have to act fast.
When I see two soldiers about to round the property, I raptly tap him in the shoulder. He comes to a stop and looks ahead.
As the soldiers spot us, I shoot them both in rapid-fire succession.
“Good shot,” he praises.
“Thank you,” I mutter.
We proceed ahead, and I don’t think about the fact that I just killed for the first time. I don’t think of how naturally it came. Or how easy it was. Or how I just not only killed one but two people.
No, I don’t think of it at all. I purge it from my mind.
“Another one,” Kirill says.
I don’t think. I just shoot.
By the time we make it to the front of the house, I’ve killed five men.
Don’t think about it, Imogen. Don’t think about it.
“Forget me saying you have Russian blood. You kill and think too much,” he quips.
“Are you insulting me right now?” I whisper, yell.
He cackles. “Got your mind off killing, didn’t it?”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“Part of my charm.”
I disagree but keep my mouth shut. I only roll my eyes in response, which seems to amuse him further.
Reaching in his pocket, he retrieves the key to his rental. He unlocks it, and I open the door to the back seat. It’s small, but it will have to do.
With a gentler approach this time, Kirill lays him down on the backseat. Rico opens his mouth in a silent scream.
“Keep an eye on him. I have to go back for ma.”
He gives me an unsure look. “You could go in and not come back.”
“I can’t leave her behind.”
He nods his head as if he understands, but I know he doesn’t. “Like I said, this is where your heart makes you stupid.”
“I know, but I would never forgive myself if I left her here. What if it was your ma? What would you do?”
“Be stupid like you.”
His answer stuns me. Leave it to a psychopath to care for at least one person.
“Is that the only weapon you have?” I nod my head. He pulls out a gun from one of his holsters and hands it to me. “In case you need another.”
“Thank you,” I say, baffled.
“Eh, don’t ever mention it. Okay?”
“Okay.”
With another gun from an unlikely temporary ally, I set back inside to rescue ma so we can all make our escape.