Chapter 25 #2
“How do we get out of here?” she asked.
I glanced at the bridge we’d come across and down the hall where the stairs were located.
Flames had taken over the passageway.
“Let me worry about that.”
Boom!
A rush of smoke billowed through the hole from below, flames following. The entire room was on fire and I knew enough about construction to realize within seconds, the building was going to begin to crumble from the inside out.
“Stay here. Don’t move,” I instructed and rushed toward Kazimir, who was having difficulty killing Enzo. I threw myself at him the second the bastard broke free of the Pakhan, tossing him against the wall. In the process, Kazimir was pitched backward.
Vivian screamed but I couldn’t pay attention. I needed to finish the bastard off.
With time running out, I smashed my weapon into Enzo’s head. He teetered backward but didn’t fall, reacting quickly and kicking the weapon from my hand. With a laugh, he prepared to blow my head off.
Except a single gunshot and he was suddenly still, slowly slumping to the floor.
When I turned around, I was shocked to find a weapon in her hand. She’d made the kill shot. “Thank you, my little lamb.”
“Don’t mention it,” she shot back, her voice shaking.
“Do you think you guys could get me the fuck out of here?” Kazimir yelled. The man was struggling to hang onto the edge of the cavernous hole.
Vivian and I rushed to his side and I grabbed his arms. “Come on, my friend. Let’s hope you didn’t eat too much wedding cake.”
“Didn’t have a chance. You had to go and spoil it. Can you hurry? The fire is crawling up my ass.”
She grabbed his other arm and together, we yanked him up and over the edge.
The thrill of success didn’t last long.
Another boom was followed by a series of noises.
“How the hell do we get out of here?” Kazimir asked.
“Through the window,” Vivian suggested.
“Six floors, honey. The odds aren’t good.”
She squeezed my arm, choking as she did. Soon, the smoke would kill us. “Trust me. I had one thing to look at while I was waiting for your arrival.” We both followed her to the window. A large awning was still in position below.
“You’re kidding. Right?” I asked, coughing.
“Do you have any other ideas?”
Kazimir shrugged. “Let’s break the window. We have nothing to lose.”
The two of us worked together, using some old pallets to finally break through the window after several swings.
Once the air was rolling in, we took several gulps and I was thankful for the lights of the city. Hearing sirens in the background made me laugh. I guess better late than never.
“Hold onto me, baby.” I took her hand, glancing at Kazimir. This was definitely going down as the weirdest wedding reception.
Hearing another whoosh as the flames drew closer, the three of us glanced at each other. It was now or never.
So we did what we had to do.
We jumped.
The feeling of free falling and flying was highly overrated.
“Fuck,” I hissed after we’d come down. “Is everyone alright?”
Sudden movement and my bride crawled halfway on top. “You do know how to create fireworks,” she mused.
“Yeah, I could do without them.” Kazimir laughed.
The sirens were closer, the blasting noise annoying as hell.
People surrounded us, including firefighters. “We have survivors!”
“Jesus.” Hearing Dante’s voice brought some relief. “You’re alive.”
I struggled with her in my arms, fighting to get us both on our feet.
Dante threw an arm out and helped Kazimir and immediately we were guided away from the melee and toward the street. People were everywhere, fire engines with sirens screaming and firefighters dragging hoses.
I crushed her against me, taking gasping breaths. “You’re okay, baby. You’re okay.”
“Why does this keep happening?” she moaned.
Even with every muscle aching, I was able to laugh.
As the fire continued to roll, Dante and the other soldiers moved to where we’d been taken. I stared at the building, shaking my head.
“One of them got away,” Dante said. “We ran after him, but he was too fast. We were lucky to get out. The entire building is a shitshow.”
“Close-cropped hair in a waiter’s uniform?” I asked.
“Yeah. With a surly smile.”
Kazmir chuckled and clapped me on the shoulder. We both knew what that meant.
Mikhail was alive and well.
“And the games are still on.” Kazimir’s reaction was one of exhaustion. Mikhail would eventually try again.
Only the next time we would be ready.
For anything.
For now, I would concentrate on the other aspects of my life.
Including the fact I’d just gotten married.
* * *
Vivian
“No, put it right there,” I instructed, biting back a laugh as I did.
Kirill groaned and threw me a look over his shoulder. “You do realize you’ve moved this one heavy piece four times.”
“It needs to be right. You do want a happy wife, right?”
“At the expense of my back?”
“Give her a break, Kirill,” Dimitri growled. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can have a beer.”
With a grunt, Kirill nodded. “Over there and it will be perfect,” I told him.
“It better be. Or else.” He gave me his usual heated look, which forced me to smile. We’d purchased a new house so there wouldn’t be ghosts running around as we built a life. Since the Bratva had already invaded New York, I could keep my job and remain close to my family.
With Enzo’s death, Nikki had returned home and in truth, she was more relieved than anything else. Yet I sensed she was emotionally drained. We all were. What we’d been through was horrific. Life altering.
And had forced us all to appreciate what we had.
In the four weeks following the colossal fire, my uncle had been surprisingly quiet, but he’d lived up to his end of the bargain, the oil and gas company purchased in conjunction with the Chertov Corporation.
While I’d been privy to several business conversations, there’d been little discussion about the Ghost and what might have occurred.
In truth, we were all still weary from the experience.
As soon as the couch was in position, Kirill flopped down. To see him in tennis shoes, jeans, and a tight tee shirt had taken my breath away more than once.
“You had better say this is perfect.” And every growl from his mouth was delicious, creating a need to be alone with him.
“Mmm… Let me think. No. I think the other room is better.” I didn’t have a chance to giggle before he had me in his arms, swinging me around and even dipping me into a deep arch.
“Then you’re getting a spanking,” he whispered so only I could hear.
I dared torment him in front of his boss by sliding my hand down his chest, crawling my fingers to the thick bulge between his legs. “Are you sure about that?”
“Oh, yeah.”
When I squeezed, he moaned and brought me upright. “Well, maybe not.” As soon as he captured my mouth, all the men in the room groaned.
“Time for that beer, gentlemen. Let’s leave the lovebirds alone. Besides, I have date night tonight, so I need to get back.” Hearing the joy in Kazimir’s voice presented a sense of normalcy.
But the kiss brought a sense of sheer need. As Kirill swept his tongue inside, my entire body tingled. As always.
He’d saved my life more than once, becoming my own personal hero.
Given the uncertainty of all the players that had been involved, extra security measures had been installed but everything had been quiet.
Completely… normal.
Maybe there would never be anything truly normal about the life we were building together, but right now, being in his arms and feeling completely safe and happy, I was able to look at the future in a way that allowed me to enjoy living.
With him.
In our house.
And maybe one day with a growing family.
When he pulled our lips apart, he stood where he was, both of us breathing heavily.
“I have a surprise for you,” he finally said.
“Oh, you do, huh?”
“Yes, but only if you promise to be a very good girl.”
“Not a chance.”
He pulled away, shrugging. “Your loss.”
“You beast.”
“I am. Aren’t I?” Even his grin was one that could drive me crazy for the rest of my life.
“Yes, you are. But what’s the surprise?” I batted my eyelashes for good measure.
“Only if you close your eyes.”
“What are you up to?”
“You need to trust me,” he said, offering puppy dog eyes. He’d changed so much, his guard finally falling. Every day he was more like a kid, enjoying life as if he’d never been allowed to before.
And I’d finally learned to let go.
With him and with myself.
“Isn’t love enough?”
His joyful expression slowly faded. “I do love you.”
“And I love you. What if the Ghost returns?”
He placed his finger across my lips. “Don’t. We’ll handle Mikhail or anyone else attempting to destroy what we’ve built together. Just breathe and have a little faith.”
“Don’t worry. I have complete faith in you.”
“Then what about that trust?” His grin returned.
I rolled my eyes before closing them. “Okay, fine. But if you do anything horrible…”
“Watch that mouth of yours.” We both laughed as he guided me from the room. I had no idea where he was taking me, but I did trust him. With my life. With my sanity.
And with my heart.
When he finally stopped, I sensed he was opening a door. In taking my hand, our fingers were electrified and I tingled all over.
We took a few steps together and he pulled his hand away. “You can look now.”
As I slowly opened my eyes, a gasp flew past my lips. Positioned in the middle of the room was a beautiful grand piano, the ebony surface glistening in the strings of sunlight.
“I wanted you to be able to play music when you wanted and just for yourself. Not because you’re required to.”
There’d been beautiful gifts I’d received in my life, but none so incredible as him realizing what I needed in my heart and soul.
Besides him and his strong arms.
And chiseled body.
And soft lips.
When I said nothing, he sighed. “Do you like it?”
Very slowly, I turned my head, nodding. “I love it. But not as much as I love you.”
As I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him close, the shadow of who and what we were was still there. Yet with the golden light streaming in through the window, I could more clearly see a future. Our future.
One I couldn’t wait to face.
Maybe love couldn’t conquer all evils, but in our world, it would be our strength.
The rest would figure itself out.
The End