Chapter 20
Louhi
“Viktor, we’re coming,” I shout into my comms unit, but it’s quiet in response. I’m not even conscious of my movements as I tear through the woods toward the burning boat. “Sasha? Somebody better bloody answer me.”
The insidious popping of gunfire and the smell of burning rubber warm me as the communication line remains silent. My heart thunders in my ears as I shove my way through the vegetation. It’s only as I reach the tree line that Viktor answers me, my blood pressure sky high. “It took you long enough.”
Relief fills my chest. “I’m going to kill you myself for scaring me like that if those soldiers don’t do it for me.”
“Hear that, Sasha? I think she cares about us.”
Sasha chuckles, and my eye twitches. “You’re my fucking ride, arsehole.”
They both laugh as more gunfire rings out. Bolting down the small embankment, I trudge through the sand that grows thicker with every step closer to the burning boats, feeling like I’m wading through molasses.
Kazi’s long strides bound past me, and I take stock of the moment his friends clock him heading toward them, his Ruger raised. The cheeks of his round arse seem to glow like a chem light beneath the silvery moon.
Viktor and Sasha are in a boat with four other Bratva soldiers clad in black tactical gear. Four more boats are bobbing in the water around them, firing at the American men on the shore. It’s a full-fledged firefight, and I’d be skipping toward the bloodshed if the sand allowed for it.
Even from this distance, Viktor falters as he takes Kazi in, Sasha moving a step forward on the boat, his gun now at his side.
It must be jarring to see their friend this way.
Kazi’s not the same wild animal that he was four years ago.
He’s probably dropped about a hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle, and with his long, dark hair removed, he’s nearly unrecognizable.
At this point, his tattoos and massive frame are likely the only things left that give him away.
As the three of them stare at each other, a thousand messages wordlessly passing between them, I fire two rounds at the man aiming for Kazi.
I sense the two best friends crowding me as we hastily make our way toward the boats waiting for us.
Kazi wastes no time as he clamors onto the vessel, clasping Sasha’s hand as he pulls him into the boat just as I reach the wet sand.
Gunfire continues to crack and pop around us, but now that we’re close enough to our ride out of here, I command to anyone listening, “Cover me,” as I dig into my bag, locating exactly what I sought.
“Is that a—”
Honey Eyes’s question dies as I pull the pin, draw my arm back, and throw the golf ball grenade into the mob of army soldiers. The device detonates before anyone can even move, lighting up the dark like a raging bonfire that makes me smile.
“Does Conall know you took that?” Viktor asks into my ear, levity threaded into his words.
“I won’t tell him if you don’t.” I snigger into the night, crinkling my nose at a laughing Jace before jogging toward the boat, the water splashing around my boots that are sure to get soaked.
I wish I knew the exact number of men that explosion took out. No matter. I’ll mentally tally it at six. Might’ve been more, though.
The three of us half-swim, half-walk through the waves when a short, barked order draws our attention.
A small faction of armed men follows behind a single soldier as they spill down the sandy embankment in our direction.
It’s like they don’t even notice the boat with the Bratva fighters. I knew we should’ve brought a bazooka.
“Fucking Thompson,” Honey Eyes mutters next to me. “Of course, Jennings is right there, kissing his ass.”
This is becoming quite the annoyance. I sigh, the crashing ocean swallowing the noise as the seven soldiers rush down the beach. “Are they your friends?”
Jace scoffs derisively at the same time Sean snaps, sharp and bitter, “Fuck no.”
“Leave this Thompson person for me,” I order the other two, my stomach sinking as I consider that he’s the one who hurt Sean. Then again, if a wasp stung Sean, I’d torture the insect. Cold-blooded murder feels like getting off lightly.
On either side of me, Sean and his best friend start firing at the troops gaining ground. Under any other circumstances, it might be entertaining to see two stark-naked men firing guns in the middle of the ocean. It’s unfortunate that I can’t take the time to appreciate that now.
I aim my Wildey and eliminate two soldiers. I wish I had my throwing stars.
“You’re welcome,” Viktor says in my ear as another soldier crumples on the beach. I snort.
There’s one man left standing on the wet sand, his AR-15 raised and aimed directly at my chest. I grin, my own Wildey trained on him.
I dare you to try to shoot me before I kill you.
He seems to read my mind because he doesn’t pull the trigger.
The water splashes as I stomp my way onto the beach.
Behind me, both Sean and Honey Eyes shout. I’m not worried; they’re covering me.
“Are you the one who locked him in the box?” I call, striding up to him.
He doesn’t reply. “Last chance before I take you with us and let Sean replicate his treatment?”
“Yes,” he grits out between clenched teeth. He adjusts his rifle as though that’ll intimidate me. It doesn’t. In fact, I can tell he’s scared. It’s why he hasn’t pulled the trigger yet. I hope he pisses himself.
When I’m standing directly in front of him, I press the cool metal barrel to his forehead. “Tell Tuoni that Louhi sent you.”
I pull the trigger. It feels better than good, and I skip back toward the boat, keeping an eye on the two friends as they meet me there. The boat rocks as we climb aboard. As one of Viktor’s soldiers puts the boat into gear, the engine roars, pulling away from the island.
The gunfire has died down now, but I move to the bow and chuck my last grenade for fun, clutching the pin as I watch the explosion on the beach with delight. Behind me, Viktor and Sasha speak to Kazi in hushed, fervent Russian that I pretend not to hear.
I lean back as arms band around my middle tightly, strong and familiar. I don’t even mind the musty, stale scent of sweat, dirt, and grime that covers his body. The position must hurt considering the injury to his shoulder, but he seems to be ignoring the pain.
“I love you, Lou,” he murmurs, only for me, his words warming my insides.
His lips brush my upper cheek, and I twist in his embrace, pressing onto my toes.
Uncaring of the eyes watching us, I grip his face and smash my lips to his.
The kiss is messy, our lips moving frantically, fighting to climb within the body of the other.
When we finally break apart, my chest heaves, my fingertips coasting over his buzzed hair.
“Are you alright?”
“With you here now? Yeah,” he whispers, breathing into my mouth as though he’s resuscitating me. “I’m more than okay.”
I remove the sliver of space between us, my head dropping to his sweat-slicked skin. Smiling against his body, I’m finally able to appreciate true, lasting freedom now that we’re together again.
I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced a quieter fifteen hours in all my life.
My palm is clammy from where Sean has clutched it tightly the entire flight.
He and Honey Eyes were wordless nearly the whole time, staring out the window.
Neither man slept, but now that they’ve been removed from the concrete castle of horrors, I imagine the trauma they were forced to endure has settled over them like a vile blanket.
Viktor and Sasha immediately took Kazi to the back bedroom, presumably to tend to his injuries, or maybe it was just to have a moment with their friend who they thought had died.
The inside of the plane is just as mute throughout the flight as the clouds outside—invisible, evil spirits in the form of exhaustion, pain, and sorrow fill the cabin.
I’m the first one off the plane the moment we touch down in Moscow, smiling as I tilt my head back and breathe in the crisp, clean scent of snow.
I toss the items I brought back from Boston—including my pillow and the .
338 Lapua Magnum—into the boot of one of the idling SUVs waiting for us before piling into the back with Sean and Honey Eyes.
They’re both dressed in pairs of Viktor’s sweatpants.
The grey fabric is too tight around Sean’s thighs and a bit long on Jace.
They each adamantly rejected the offer of shirts, not that I’m complaining, even if it wasn’t necessarily for my benefit.
They’ll likely regret that choice now that they’re experiencing an Eastern European winter firsthand.
The tires crunch over the freshly fallen snow and pea gravel as the car meanders down the long private drive of Viktor’s estate. Eventually, Viktor’s colossal mansion constructed of ivory stone comes into view.
Sliding from the back seat after Sean, and noting his bare feet, I cringe. As I grab my rifle and pillow from the back, I hear Digs mutter to Jace, “This place is like something out of one of your Playboy magazines.”
“Man, it’s a fucking crime to have left those behind. Some of those were exclusive limited editions.”
I snigger quietly as Viktor approaches me, his dogs on his heels. “You three can take the cottage. I’ll send a nurse for you, and the doctor can drop by after he’s finished examining Kazi, if you need him.”
Dipping my chin, I turn to leave when he stops me. “I’ll send a man to investigate your brother’s flat tonight.” I swallow hard against the spike in my blood pressure.
Sean’s hand suddenly finds my palm and instantly calms my nervous system. “We’ll find him,” he reassures me once Viktor and his canine sentries have entered the house.
He’s right, we will.