Chapter 36
Grace
Creeping over broken glass, Ed and I keep to the edges of the hall. There are dead bodies lying in pools of blood, but I’m more scared of meeting the living. My skin crawls as I scan the gallery above. All is quiet except for an odd scraping sound coming from the foyer. We draw closer to it.
Ed and I give each other nods of encouragement and gestures like we’re the FBI about to make a bust. We peek out through the double doors together.
There’s a trail of blood smeared across the marble floor leading to a man clawing his way over a dead body.
A belt is tied around Killian’s thigh, but he’s still bleeding out.
There’s no fear of him seeing us. He’s so determined to get to the door that he hasn’t even noticed the man standing right behind him.
Danyl has his back to us and is using the barrel of his gun to track Killian’s desperate efforts to grab the door handle.
Killian must think he can still save Katarina.
I hope someone can. I’m desperate to know where Duke and his brothers have gone, but other than the scrape and slide of Killian’s movements, the house is eerily silent.
Ed gestures for me to keep my gun trained on Danyl while he steps into the foyer.
Gun extended, he sweeps our surroundings for other potential threats.
Once he’s satisfied, he edges closer to Danyl, his lower lip held firmly between his teeth.
Shooting someone in the back is normally frowned upon, but Ed won’t win a face to face duel with the ruthless Bratva guard.
I want him to take the shot, and when he doesn’t, I step away from the doorway. If Danyl turns before Ed shoots, I’m going to have to use this damn gun. And if I’m going to hit something, I need to be closer.
Danyl looms over Killian, and I have to swallow a gasp as he makes a quick grab for the gun Killian has shoved in his waistband. Killian immediately flips himself over with a grunt of pain, his hand reaching for another weapon hidden beneath his bulletproof vest.
“Don’t even try it,” Danyl snaps.
Killian hisses out a curse as he lifts his hands away from his body and looks around the foyer. His gaze sweeps straight past us. He knows we’re here. Danyl doesn’t.
“A cockroach like you has no right touching a Bratva woman,” Danyl says, “but Katarina is my toy now. I wanted you to know that before you die. By tonight, I will have filled every one of her pretty holes and I’ll keep doing it until she can’t remember your name.”
Killian’s open palms clamp into fists. “You couldn’t handle a woman like Katarina,” he says through gritted teeth.
“I’ve seen what she does to men who take what they don’t deserve.
That woman will survive all of us.” He laughs to himself.
“She wouldn’t even notice your limp dick inside her, and I’ll die happy knowing it’s only my cock that could ever satisfy her.
So go on, you useless piece of shite, shoot me. ”
Danyl taps his earpiece. “I have him in my sights. Just say the word,” He speaks in English for Killian’s benefit, but there’s no doubt he’s addressing another Russian. Vasili.
Killian’s gaze flicks to Ed. “For fuck’s sake, shoot.”
Ed jumps at the command and when he takes the shot, Danyl drops to his knees with a grunt. Ed had aimed below the bulletproof layer covering Danyl’s chest and has hit him in the ass. Not a kill shot.
As Killian rears up, Danyl extends both arms and aims his two guns. One points at Killian, the other at Ed.
Ed and I freeze, but not Killian. He unsheathes a knife and with a flick of his wrist, embeds it in Danyl’s shoulder. Danyl hisses through gritted teeth, but he sways only slightly as he keeps Killian in his sights and squeezes the trigger.
Killian’s body flips backwards and I hear the sickening crack of his head hitting the marble floor. I barely get out a gasp as Danyl fires the second gun in our direction. I feel the shot before I hear it and I’m sent flying backwards.
The bullet to my chest doesn’t penetrate past the Kevlar, but it’s not just the vest that saves me.
The round had already slowed as it passed through Ed’s body.
He wasn’t wearing a bullet-proof vest. There was nothing to protect him.
Nothing at all. His body lands on top of mine like a dead weight. Because it is…
“No!” I scream as Ed’s blood soaks into me.
I scramble backwards, careful not to hurt him as I let his body slump to the floor.
My brain refuses to process that his beautiful soul is gone.
And Killian’s dead too. I don’t know him but I know the woman who loves…
loved him. My next scream is full of fury as I tighten my grip on the Glock and get to my feet.
My breath hitches as I face their killer. Danyl hasn’t moved. He smirks as he closes one eye and sets me in his gun’s sights.
His hand is shaking as a result of the stab wound in his shoulder, whereas my grip is surprisingly steady. Maiming Danyl won’t be enough to end this so I aim for his head. His smirk grows. He’s prolonging the agony because he doesn’t think I’ll do it.
“No, no, n–!” I yell, my words cutting off as I squeeze the trigger.
Blood and gore explode from the side of Danyl’s head and he flips backwards. And as he lands, more bullet holes puncture his body. The shooting comes from behind me and I should be terrified. I should scream. But my body has gone rigid.
A thick arm bands around my waist, another reaching past my shoulder to grab my gun. I won’t give up my weapon. I won’t.
“It’s OK, Grace. It’s me. Hunter. You’re safe.”
I want to relax, but my limbs won’t obey. Hunter manages to flip the gun’s safety off and as he’s peeling it from my fingers, Duke crashes through the front door. He has his rifle raised, but it’s a glare he shoots at Hunter.
From the driveway, tires screech and a vehicle pulls away at speed. More figures fill the entrance where Duke remains, immobilized.
He scans my body. I’m covered in Ed’s blood, maybe some of Danyl’s too. “Are you hurt?” he rasps out.
His eyes fix on mine and time restarts. “No, I just … I need…”
Duke flings his rifle at Rory and Hunter lets go of me as I pull from his grasp. I launch myself at Duke with a sob and he lifts me off my feet.
“I’ve got you, Angel. I’ve got you and I’m never letting you go,” he whispers against my ear. “We’re safe.”
Not all of us, my brain forces me to acknowledge. “Ed was…”
Duke squeezes me tighter. He’s seen the body. He strokes my hair as another sob tears from my throat.
“I know,” he whispers, and I feel him turn in the direction of Ed. “Reid? Are there any signs of life?”
“The bullet went right through the side of his chest, but he has a surprisingly strong pulse.”
My head shoots up. Crouching down next to Ed is a man in tactical gear that matches Hunter’s. Reid is another Griffin. “He’s alive?”
Ed releases a groan. “I was having a very nice dream, but these Griffins are obsessed with my body.”
I need to get to him, but first I grab the sides of Duke’s head and smash my lips against his. We still have matching split lips, but the kiss heals more than hurts.
When Duke sets me down, I drop to the floor next to Ed. He’s pale and has suffered a lot of blood loss, but he’s managing to stay conscious as Reid applies pressure bandages to the wound.
“How’s Killian?” Ed asks.
I look to where there’s a crowd of Moncriefs and Griffins kneeling around the Irishman.
“He’s not going to make it,” Rory answers without looking up.
The Griffin crouching next to Rory curses, raking his hand through his hair. “The fucking idiot,” he says, voice cracking.
“You’re going to have to move him,” Calder tells them. “Killian didn’t want his dad knowing he was part of this. He made us promise.”
Suddenly everyone’s talking at once. The house and grounds will need a full sweep to make sure any remaining Bratva have been dealt with.
Medics are on their way along with a specialist team to clean up the mess.
And then there’s damage limitation. None of the partygoers have been hurt apparently, but our guests will have plenty to talk about.
As the foyer fills with more people and a doctor tends to Ed, I return to the comfort of Duke’s arms. He’s too quiet and it’s easy to guess why. “It’s not your fault Katarina’s uncle took her back,” I say, knowing that’s one of the many things eating away at his conscience.
“I’ll never forget the look of complete desolation on her face when Vasili ordered Killian’s execution…
” he begins, then shakes his head. “It was how Meri had looked after Ewan died.” He strokes my cheek.
“It’s what I thought I’d have to face when I heard you scream.
I swear, Grace, a day won’t go by when I’m not grateful to have you in my life. Assuming you still want me?”
I look up and give him a lazy, post-trauma smile. “Oh, I want you.”
Before our lips can meet, Rory clears his throat. “Do you think you two could be cleaned up and ready to join the party in, say, an hour?”
“Are you serious?” I ask in utter disbelief.
Fresh shock hits me as explosions erupt from outside. It takes several rapid heartbeats to recognize the shriek and hiss of fireworks shooting into the sky high above the Moncrief estate.
“We might have to come clean about a few things,” Rory admits. “But most of the drama was contained to the house. And according to Max, our guests are ready to troop back to the marquee and resume the party. Worth a try, don’t you think?”
I look at the devastation around us. Dead bodies. Shattered sculptures. Bullet holes everywhere. Killian has already been removed from the scene and Ed is on a gurney. Does Rory really expect us to party on like none of this happened?
“Make it an hour and a half and we’ll be there,” says Duke.