Chapter 48
Leo
“Y ou’re not coming, Nora, and that’s final,” I growl, tired of having this same argument with her.
Ever since the meeting with the Chinese, Nora has been adamant that she wants to join us in the attack on her father’s compound. There’s no way I’m letting her come. It’s too dangerous. I can’t risk her falling into her father’s hands and being used against me.
“How do you think I feel? I can’t let you and my brother walk into danger and sit around doing nothing! I am coming with you, and you can’t stop me!” Nora stubbornly insists.
Sensing there’s no way I can win this battle, I reply, “Fine. But you need to put on some dark clothing. “Go and get ready, we leave in ten.”
“Thank you.” She beams at me, standing on tiptoes to kiss me before rushing upstairs to our room.
I feel like the world’s biggest jackass for what I’m about to do.
“Pakhan, are you sure this is a good idea? She has no training and is likely to be more of a hindrance than a help,” Nikolai whispers to me.
The other men look concerned, no doubt wondering if I’ll react violently against my second daring to question me the way Dimitri would have. Luckily for Nikolai, I’m not my uncle. I want to hear what my men have to say. Only a fool of a leader doesn’t listen to advisors and utilize his resources.
“I know. That’s why she’s not coming,” I reply, turning my attention to Tatiana. “Tatiana, you’re going to stay here and keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn’t leave.”
“Great, babysitting duty,” she grumbles.
“That’s an order,” I add sternly.
“Yes, Pakhan.”
I rush upstairs to our room. “Leo?” Nora says with surprise as she spots me in the doorway. She’s changed into all black and is in the process of tying up her hair.
“I’m sorry, Nora, it’s for your own good,” I say as I shut the door and lock her inside.
“Leo!” she shouts, rushing to the door and trying to open it. “Let me out! This isn’t funny!” she screams, banging her fists against it.
“I’m sorry, Nora, I can’t risk you being there. If you’re in danger, it will distract me and put us all at risk. I hope you can forgive me. I love you,” I say before walking away, ignoring her cries of protest.
“Let’s go,” I tell my men, tossing Tatiana the key as we leave.
***
Cho’s men are all there as planned when we pull up a safe distance from Quinn’s compound.
With Cillian’s inside knowledge, we know the rotations of guards and the weakest points for us to gain entry undetected.
Cillian’s team will enter from the front under the guise of a meeting, while we’ll go around the back.
“They’re in. Time to move out,” I say as I watch the doors closing behind Cillian.
We wait around the back for the signal while Cillian’s men silently execute the guards at their posts before they can sound the alarm.
With the guards dispatched, we enter the building, sweeping every room in search of Quinn.
We’re able to overwhelm the few men we come across easily and with minimal fuss, but as we search the mansion, one thing becomes abundantly clear.
“He’s not here,” I say to Cillian.
“He has to be. We had good intel that he was here. He must be in the basement, it’s where he tortures enemies—and his kids,” he adds bitterly.
“Could it be a trap?”
“Only one way to find out,” he replies, his mouth a thin line.
There’s only one way in and out of the basement. Weapons drawn, we brace ourselves for a gunfight. We throw in smoke bombs and descend into the bowels of hell.
There are no gunshots. No shouts of men. Nothing. Just silence.
Then, the sound of muffled cries comes from one of the rooms.
Slowly, cautiously, listening for danger, for the first sign of a trap, we make our way toward the source of the noise. I kick the door down, gun raised and ready to fire. Through the smoke, I can make out someone sitting in a chair. As the air clears, I can see more clearly.
“Hold your fire,” I order as I rush over to untie Nadya.
She’s been beaten badly. Her body is a mess of bruises and cuts, one eye is swollen shut, and I can see someone has extracted two of her fingernails, but she’s alive.
“Nadya, it’s me, Leo. It’s okay, we’re here to help,” I soothe.
I try to remove the duct tape as gently as I can from her mouth, but she screams out in agony as it tears away the healing flesh from where her lip has been flayed open.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur.
“Leo?” she says dazedly. “Where’s Nora?”
“It’s okay, she’s safe. She’s at home,” I assure her.
From outside, I can hear the shouts of my men, confirming that downstairs is empty too. Quinn isn’t here.
“Nadya, where is Quinn? Do you know where he’s hiding?” I ask urgently as I untie her.
“No, no, no,” she mutters, and I think she’s in shock. “You have to go to her, Leo. He’s on his way there now!”
Ice runs through my veins. I don’t hesitate, I race as fast as I can out of there.
“Get Nadya somewhere safe and bring everyone to my place. Quinn’s going after Nora!” I yell at Nikolai as I sprint past him.
There’s no time to waste.
I jump onto one of the motorbikes in Quinn’s collection, needing to move as fast as I can. I can’t wait for the others. I don’t even dwell on the fact that there’s a traitor in my midst, whether they’re Chinese or one of my men. My thoughts are consumed with Nora.
I could already be too late.
As I tear out of the compound, there’s an explosion of noise behind me.
Quinn’s men have finally emerged from their hiding spaces to attack.
I weave, trying to avoid the shots that are being fired at me.
A bullet passes by dangerously close to my helmet, then another grazes my arm.
I swerve, almost losing control of the bike, but I manage to right myself.
I’m running on pure adrenaline, so I don’t even notice the pain.
I push on, ignoring the war that’s erupting behind me. My men can handle themselves.
Without backup, I’m heading into unknown danger alone. Nothing will stop me from trying. I don’t care if I have to carve my way through a hundred men to get to Nora. I’ll die trying. A life without her isn’t a life worth living. And I’ll drag Quinn to hell with me.