Chapter 27 #2
"You've got thirty seconds to listen carefully, Roman.
I want you to come in alone. No guns, no men.
Small door on the east side. Your soldiers can surround the place, but if a single one of them sets foot inside, I guarantee your little girlfriend and whatever's in her belly take the first bullet. "
The line went dead.
I hurled the phone at the ground. The screen shattered.
"What's the play?" Nick glanced at the broken pieces, then looked at me.
"You wait outside with the men. Under no circumstances do you come in."
"You're going in? That's a trap. You know it better than anyone."
I turned to face him. Nick had been with me twelve years, at my side since the day I took over. He'd never once questioned my orders. This was the first time.
"Don't argue. Listen. If I don't come out, you take over everything."
Nick's jaw muscles tightened. His grip on his gun went white-knuckled.
"One condition. Kill Dmitri. Whatever it takes, however long it takes."
"You know I don't give a shit about your position. Don't go in there to die, Roman. We can find another way." Nick stepped forward and grabbed my arm.
I seized his collar and shoved him back hard.
"There is no other way! You think I want to die?"
Nick gasped for breath, mouth opening, but no words came.
Nothing left to say.
I released him, bent down, and clapped his shoulder.
The helicopter was fast. Soon the destination appeared below. I pushed past the pilot and walked alone to the rusted iron door on the east side. The door was old, hinges loose, creaking in the sea wind.
I kicked it open.
Inside was dark. I spotted Leah immediately.
She'd been thoughtfully placed in the most visible spot in the warehouse.
Wrists and ankles chained, clothes stained with mud and water, hair plastered to her cheeks.
Her face was ghostly pale, lips cracked, red finger marks on her chin.
They'd dared touch my woman. I ground my molars, fury burning in my eyes.
Leah looked up.
Our eyes met across the dim air.
The moment she saw me, her eyes turned red. Tears poured down her pale cheeks.
She made no sound, but I clearly read her lips.
"Go. Leave now."
Her eyes were begging me to run.
I looked into those eyes and firmly shook my head.
I would never leave. My only purpose for standing here today was to take her through that door in one piece.
I shifted my gaze to the man beside Leah. Early twenties, holding a Glock, barrel pressed to Leah's temple.
A face I'd seen countless times in photos.
Trent. Leah's ex. That gambling degenerate piece of trash. This scumbag actually got involved. Pathetic.
Seeing me enter, Trent pressed the gun harder against Leah's head and gave me a taunting smile.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Roman Volkov. Enjoying her? My hand-me-down?"
I didn't answer.
An insignificant nobody. Not worth my attention.
My gaze stayed locked on Leah, scanning from her face to her wrists to her ankles. The chains had rubbed red marks, but no open wounds. The finger marks on her chin were fresh but shallow.
She was okay. That steadied my breathing slightly.
"What do you want?"
"Twenty million. How about it? Not much for you."
Trent moved the barrel from Leah's temple to the center of her forehead.
"Twenty million? That's all it takes for you to sell out Leah and the baby?" I laughed coldly.
This scumbag. I'd known he was complete trash, but selling out his own woman and child for money still turned my stomach.
Maybe sensing my contempt, the bastard grew agitated.
"What? Not worth it? Twenty million for your woman and your son's life—that's a steal! Don't get cocky!"
What was he saying? My child?
Tears were streaming down Leah's face, silent drops falling onto her chained hands. She looked at me, and I understood instantly.
The baby. My baby. She was carrying my child.
This should have been incredible news. The bloodline I'd always wanted. But now it only meant Leah was in even more danger.
If at first I'd thought my death might convince Dmitri to spare Leah, that was no longer an option.
If she was carrying my child, this wasn't getting resolved easily.
"You hear me, Volkov?" Trent was screaming now. "I've got your woman and your kid! Call someone! Wire the money now! Or I blow her head off right now!"
Trent waved the gun wildly. My hand was already on the grip at my back, but before I could draw—
Trent's shouting stopped cold.
His body froze mid-rant, expression locked in that last twisted smile. A small black hole appeared between his eyebrows. A second later, blood started flowing, trickling down his nose.
He toppled backward, skull cracking against the concrete with a dull thud.
As Trent fell, a tall figure emerged from the darkness behind him.
Dmitri.
He held a black handgun with a suppressor. The barrel still trailed a wisp of smoke.
He let the gun hang casually at his side as he stepped over Trent's body.
"My apologies, Roman." Dmitri looked at me with fake regret. "That bottom-feeder was too loud. His voice was ruining the atmosphere of our conversation. Just a small interruption. I hope you don't mind."
He paused, adding with a smile, "After all, money was never my objective."
Dmitri walked to Leah's chair.
He slowly raised his right hand and used that gun—still carrying the smell of gunpowder, still warm from killing—to roughly lift Leah's chin.
Leah was forced to tilt her head back.
Dmitri's smile widened.
"Roman, you know me. My original plan was simple. You walk in, I put a bullet in your brain. Clean, quick, done."
Dmitri used the cold barrel to pat Leah's pale cheek.
"But you see, plans never keep up with changes. There are always unexpected surprises waiting."
His gaze slid from Leah's face downward, moving inch by inch until it fixed on her slightly rounded belly.
"Now I've completely changed my mind."
Dmitri's voice became eerily soft, yet bone-chillingly cold.
"Because I just found the perfect method to make you experience the most extreme pain this world has to offer."
As the words left his mouth, Dmitri suddenly pressed the gun down hard against Leah's pregnant belly.
Leah's body curled in pure terror.
The last thread of my sanity snapped.
"Don't you fucking touch her!"