20. Chapter Twenty
Natalya
The sight of Mikhail alive is all I need to feel alive again myself.
Our eyes catch across the room and there’s so much unsaid between us. How much we missed each other. How much we were scared of losing each other.
And how much we love each other.
I gasp, realizing my husband is alive.
And then all hell breaks loose.
Mikhail raises his gun and fires it at Cillian, hitting him in the shoulder, and knocking Cillian to the floor.
“I was going to shoot him,” Nico grumbles before he starts firing at Cillian again. I dive out of the way and fall to the floor, shielding my head as if that’s going to change anything.
Cillian’s men start returning the fire, causing Mikhail and Nico to duck behind a pew. But the men Nico brought with him begin to fire as well and soon there’s a whole shootout happening. I notice four of Cillian’s men get killed in quick succession leaving only one left: Liam.
He must realize the situation he’s in because he makes a run for it. Mikhail tries shooting at him but misses and soon turns his attention to Denis, who has rounded up my sisters and mom and has placed them in front of him.
Nico walks straight up to Cillian and shoots him in the head. The priest faints.
I cry out, covering my head harder. I can feel Nico right next to me. He’s going to kill me. He’s going to kill me.
But he doesn’t. Instead, he goes over to Mikhail’s side. “We’re even now, Mikhail. I got to kill Cillian. Thanks for not getting in my way.”
“I need him dead,” Mikhail growls, nodding at Denis.
“Then shoot him.” Nico motions to his three guards and they all raise their guns.
“Don’t!” I shout, running down the steps to stand before my family. “If you shoot at Denis, you could kill my family. Don’t.” I can hear Irina and Ana crying behind me. Their fear is palpable.
“Natalya, get out of the way,” Mikhail says. “I can’t lose you. Not when I’m so close to getting you back.”
“Don’t shoot,” I repeat, staring at Nico. I know Mikhail won’t risk my safety but Nico? There’s a chance he could gun down my entire family and not even blink an eye.
“She’s not going to get out of the way, is she?” Nico muses.
After a beat, Mikhail shakes his head. “She’s stubborn when it comes to her family. Don’t shoot at my wife, Nico. We have a tentative truce. We agreed. You kill Cillian and I get my wife back. Killing her isn’t getting my wife back.”
Nico sighs and motions for his men to lower their guns. “Fine. But how do you propose you kill Denis if he keeps hiding behind all these women?”
“Let us go,” Sasha says, shocking everyone. “Let Denis go. We’ll leave with him. No one else has to get hurt.”
“Sasha, no,” I say. “If you leave with him, he’s going to hurt you for this. He’s going to make you marry a man of his choosing.”
“I’m not going to get myself shot for a man who doesn’t love us. I’m not going to risk my entire family.” She looks Nico straight in the eye. “Let us go. Let Denis go. Please.”
“He needs to die,” Mikhail growls.
“Listen to the girl, Mikhail,” Nico says. “You don’t want to upset your wife, now do you? If we start shooting, they all die.”
I turn to Sasha. “Don’t do this.”
“We have no choice. Denis is literally using us as a shield. I don’t want to die.” She wraps her arms around me and speaks into my ear. “If you and Mikhail are alive, there’s still a chance you can save us. This isn’t goodbye for forever. Just for now.”
“I promised I’d protect you.”
“And you tried. And I love you for it.” She pulls back, wiping a tear away. “Let’s go.”
“Yes, let’s.” Denis smiles, knowing he’s won this round. But he won’t win forever.
No one does anything as Denis starts backing up and my sisters and mom follow. He grabs Ana and holds her close to prevent anyone from shooting at him.
“Natalya,” Mom says. “I’m so proud of you. Know that.”
“Mom,” I whisper. She can only give me a smile.
Denis and my family leave the church and I’m not sure when I’ll see them again but I do know, I will never stop fighting for them.
This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning.
Mikhail pulls me into his arms and I cling tightly to him, seeking his comfort.
“Sorry about Denis,” Nico says, patting Mikhail on the back. “But you got your wife back. And I killed Cillian. We can all be happy.”
“But Liam got away,” Mikhail reminds him. “He’s going to be pissed that we killed his boss.”
“Sure. But that’s a problem for another day.” He nods at both of us before walking down the aisle. His men leave the church first.
But before Nico can leave, Mikhail raises his arm and points his gun at Nico’s back.
“What are you doing?” I gasp.
Mikhail ignores me as he fires his gun.
Nico shouts in pain as he’s shot in the back and falls to the ground. Mikhail grabs my hand and we run out the side entrance of the church before Nico’s men can attack us.
He flags down a taxi and we practically dive inside before Nico’s men swarm out of the church. He gives the driver the address to the safehouse.
“You shot Nico.”
“I did.”
“Is he dead?”
“I can only hope so. Now he and I are even if he survives. I was shot in the back. Now he’s been shot in the back.” Mikhail groans as he shifts around in his seat. “And I’m starting to feel the pain of having been shot in the back.”
“But you’re ok? You’ll live?”
He takes my hand. “Of course I’ll live. I’m not leaving you yet, baby. Not when I worked so hard to get you in my life.”
“I really thought you were dead.”
“Cillian is gone but your uncle is still going to be a problem. I could have ended him right there.”
“Not when he was using my family as a human shield. I couldn’t risk it.”
He sighs. “I understand. But we’ll have him to deal with and if Nico is alive, he’ll be pissed. And Liam is out there, probably wanting revenge. Hopefully he’ll go after Nico since Nico was the one to shoot Cillian.”
“So much uncertainty,” I murmur.
“But we’re together. And I will protect you. I always promised I would.”
I can’t help but smile as I lean over to kiss him. “And I promise that I’ll listen to you. I need your strength and power and commands.”
“Well, when we get home, I’m going to give you all of that.”
I snuggle into his side, feeling bittersweet. Happy to have my husband alive but upset about my family. It’s going to be struggle from here on out. There is no other way about it.
Nico
The pain in my back and chest still scream at me as I enter the restaurant. It’s been only a week since I was shot by the motherfucker Mikhail and I’m still pissed. The doctors told me I was lucky. My spine was missed. Guess I’m lucky Mikhail is a shitty shot.
I’m going to get back at him and I know just the way to do it.
I slide into the booth across from Denis.
“You wanted to talk?” he asks, sneering at me. “Because you killed my ally. I’m not happy with you for that.”
“I’m here to offer you a new ally. And a chance to get back at Mikhail.”
“You? You want to work together?”
“Why not? Mikhail shot me in the back. I have no love for him. And you’re in need of an ally.”
Denis considers it for a moment before he smiles. “What do you want? If we’re going to be allies, I’m sure you want something.”
“I’m thinking one of those Petrov sisters. The oldest one not married.”
“Sasha? You want Sasha?”
I remember the fiery brave way she spoke at the church. “Yes. I want her. Marry her to me and we can be allies.”
Denis considers it for only a moment before he extends his hand. “You have yourself a deal.”
Natalya
I slip my pointe shoes back on and take a deep breath. This is it. I’m finally returning to the stage after taking my break.
A month has passed since the forced attempt to marry me to Cillian. A month since I’ve seen my sisters. Denis has moved them to a new location so I can’t find them but I don’t give up. I’ll have them back in my life one day. I’ll make sure they’re safe.
Nico is still out there, having survived Mikhail’s attack. He hasn’t made any moves against us but Mikhail and I keep waiting. For Liam to make a move too.
In the meantime, I decided to return to dance. It was time. I couldn’t keep worrying about my family all day long. I figured I would channel my pain into my art.
Jake, my dance partner, knocks on my dressing room door. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
It feels amazing to step onto the stage again with my fellow dancers. It feels even more amazing to watch the curtain rise and see the large crowd of people. An even bigger audience is here tonight to celebrate my return.
My eyes land on Mikhail in the audience, watching me with his intensity.
I know later tonight he’ll tie me up and have his way with me.
I shiver at the thought. He’s healed from his gunshot wounds though he’s still not moving as fast as he once was.
The doctor reassured him his full mobility will return in time.
We have forever together for him to heal.
I look to Mikhail’s side to see the empty seats I reserved for my family. I know they wouldn’t be able to make it tonight – not with Denis controlling them. But I still wanted to have a space to honor them. There’s five seats in total. Three for my sisters. One for my mother.
And one for my father, who I still hold close in my memory.
I look at Mikhail again and use his strength to steady me. We have a lot of uphill battles to climb but as long as we’re together, we’ll make it through. I have to believe it.
I will get my sisters back. I will see my mom again. And I will have my husband at my side for it all.
The music begins and I take my first step.
The End