Chapter 43 Asher
ASHER
“Eyes forward, Ms. Hale,” Volkov says. “Remember, there are television cameras pointed at you, watching your every move. And there are . . . other things pointed at you as well, so do behave.”
Bastard. It takes every ounce of my self-control not to turn around and kill him. But I can’t risk Ella.
Declan and Sterling are right outside our ring of fake security, and without looking, I know their gazes are turned on us.
I know they’ve realized who is walking behind Ella and me.
Who threatens us quietly, using the public nature of the memorial to keep us from reacting as his men keep guns trained on us.
I shift my attention to Sterling out of the corner of my eye.
He gives a subtle shake of his head. Dammit.
“I must confess, I am displeased by your actions toward TDC, Langford. My cousin Sergei and I worked tirelessly to build our oil empire.”
“I am not the one who started this war, Volkov. You and Sergei did. I am merely intent on winning it.”
Volkov laughs. “I like you, Langford. Your spirit and fire are commendable. It is a shame we are enemies. We could have been great allies. Alas, that can never be, not when we want such different things.
“I tried to get what I wanted without much bloodshed, but you decided to be difficult. At first, I thought about killing you to take a powerful enemy out of my way, but then I did a little research on you. If you die, it won’t help my cause.
Your shares in Langford Holdings will go to your brothers, who always agree with your desires, and now they’ll also go to Ms. Hale, who would no doubt go along with whatever your brothers say.
So, instead of killing you, I tried to speak to you in Singapore.
But you got the upper hand. I’m here to rectify that and to help you understand that I intend to get what I want.
I may not be able to kill you yet, but I can kill Ms. Hale.
I have my terms for you, and if you do not agree and cooperate, I will signal for one of my men to put a bullet through your pretty girlfriend’s head. ”
Ella flinches, and her hand trembles in mine. I give it a squeeze. Nothing and no one will hurt her. I won’t fucking allow it.
“Here are my terms, Langford. First, you will call off your dogs and stop the destruction of our refineries and digging sights. Second, you will sign over fifty percent of your Langford Holdings shares to me. This will put you far below the mark of the highest shareholder in Langford Holdings and should help me recoup the losses you’ve caused.
You will agree to sell Greenspan to me for pennies of what it’s worth.
And last, you will stop the clean energy legislation you’re pushing. ”
Fury lights inside me, but I don’t react.
“We have all the paperwork drawn up. I even have a notary and lawyer on standby. As soon as this little memorial service is over, you will sign, and then you and Ms. Hale can walk away intact.”
The procession ends as we arrive at the statue of my grandfather, which is still covered by a large gray canvas cloth. Once the crowd is settled, my father and Uncle Conrad grab the cloth and pull it off, revealing the statue. More applause surrounds me. I remember to clap.
My father steps up to a podium on a small, erected stage to the side of the statue. I don’t hear his speech. But my father’s eyes meet mine several times, communicating to me that he sees Yegor behind me.
I continue to check in with Sterling.
Too soon, it’s my turn. My speech. I try to pull Ella with me, but Volkov grabs onto her elbow.
“I don’t think so, Langford. She will stay here where I can keep a close watch on her.”
Again, I fight every instinct inside me and step away from her. Her life depends on me doing so. I climb the stage.
“How bad is it?” my father whispers as we give a quick hug while exchanging places.
“Bad. But as long as I cooperate, we should make it through.”
I step to the podium, and it takes me a few seconds to compose myself.
To the outside world, hopefully it looks like I’m simply overcome with emotion due to this being a celebration of my grandfather’s legacy on the anniversary of his death.
Under normal circumstances, it would be.
But my mind hardly registers the words as I speak, addressing the crowd.
All my thoughts are on keeping Ella safe.
Volkov watches me with satisfaction. He stands too close behind Ella, and she’s ringed in by five fake security guards. All I can think about is how I’ll kill Volkov for this. Slowly.
As I’m nearing the end of my speech, Sterling catches my eye, subtly nodding at me.
“Snipers down.” Sterling’s voice comes from my earpiece. Fucking finally.
“We’re not here celebrating my grandfather because of his business pursuits and successes, but because of what he gave back to the world,” I say, my voice gaining a little strength with the relief that the snipers have been taken care of.
“We celebrate how his views changed the fabric of the Langford family, and what our legacy is to be. In observance of my grandfather’s legacy, I am honored to announce that from this year forward, twenty-five percent of my annual income will be donated to organizations whose goals are to improve the lives of everyday Americans. ” The crowd erupts in shocked applause.
Volkov narrows his eyes, knowing full well that if I sign over fifty percent of my shares to him, there is no way I’d agree to also part with twenty-five percent of my income. He places a threatening hand on Ella’s shoulder.
“I will work with charities who focus on fighting homelessness and food insecurity. Organizations who seek to improve impoverished neighborhoods and schools. And I will fight to find ways to incentivize the companies owned by Langford Holdings to pay their employees livable wages, provide more affordable healthcare, and more flexibility. My grandfather understood that our family’s legacy was not simply built by our forebears, but by the everyday people who worked for them.
“I recognize their contribution today. I honor those who work for Langford Holdings and our subsidiaries, and I am committed to helping improve their lives. We all deserve to live in comfort and dignity. I hope to lead by example, proving to those in power that the world will function better, and our society as a whole will improve, if we can create better living conditions for everyone. The Langfords have always been trailblazers, and we don’t intend to stop that anytime soon. ”
Applause erupts again, and I can see the shock on my uncle’s face, as well as my cousins’ and the faces of the remaining members of the board.
But I’m not focused on them. I’m focused on Volkov, who is shifting, wavering.
He doesn’t want to order Ella’s public death, not when he’s standing behind her, knowing it would inevitably be caught on camera.
Little does he know that he can’t order that hit anymore anyway, now that Sterling and Robert got the snipers taken care of.
Ella flinches, arching her back, and I can tell by how Volkov holds onto her that he has a gun pressed to her. He shakes his head at me as I end my speech and thank the audience.
I nod and give the signal.
The five security officers surrounding Ella turn. Yegor’s eyes widen, and he brandishes his gun. Everything slows as I watch Declan dive in the circle of guards and grab Ella’s arm, but as he pulls her away, a shot rings out.
My heart stops and panic seizes me as I watch Declan and Ella fall to the ground.
The crowd shouts. Everyone starts panicking and running.
The security officers descend on Volkov, and he’s tackled to the ground.
Sterling reaches inside his suit jacket pocket and presses a button. Twenty men in security officer clothing start to convulse and collapse.
Another shot rings out.
I run off the stage and into the circle.
Declan lies atop Ella, and I roll him off her. Red blood pools across his white shirt.
“Declan!” Ella shouts, crawling toward him.
“I’m . . . okay,” he rasps out. Ella untucks his shirt and lifts it. A gunshot wound gushes blood on the side of his abdomen. “At least, I hope so.”
I crouch down beside him and haul Ella into my arms as a security officer hovers over Declan, putting pressure on the wound.
“Are you hurt?” I demand, scanning her from head to toe.
She shakes her head as tears freely flow down her cheeks. “I’m okay. But Declan . . . when he grabbed me, Yegor pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Declan instead of me.”
“Shit, Dec,” I fumble for words, taking in the blood covering his abdomen.
“Nice to know where I fall as far as your priorities go,” he rasps out, somehow smirking at me through his pained grimace.
“Paramedics are already here,” Sterling says, kneeling beside us. “I had them on standby.”
My mother and father rush to us, and my mother cries out as she kneels next to Declan.
Police officers and paramedics descend on us.
We stand and move out of the way as Declan is hauled onto a stretcher and wheeled over to an ambulance.
I hold fast to Ella as the police move in to arrest Volkov, but that proves to be pointless.
He lies with blank, open eyes, in a pool of blood, surrounded by security officers he thought worked for him.
“I don’t understand,” Ella says, her voice quivering. “I thought they were his. I thought he had tricked you and surrounded us with his men.”
“He thought he had. And some of the men here were his, but Sterling took care of them.” I nod to one of the security officers passed out on the ground. The ones who shook and convulsed just a moment ago.
“All of them need to be taken into custody,” Sterling orders the police officers. “They all work for the Russian mafia.”
The officers’ eyes go wide, but they get to work locating the men in suits who lie unconscious, scattered throughout the street.
“What the hell happened?” Ella asks. Her entire body is shaking, and I know if I’m not careful, she might just pass out.
I pull her close, inhaling her scent and nearly crying from relief. That was close. Too fucking close.
“Let’s get you home, baby. Then I’ll explain everything.”