Chapter 6 – Danil #2
“I want you to do a whole boundary check. I suspect foul play tonight.”
“Okay, Boss. I’ll….”
Fuck. I was wrong.
Whatever he said next was drowned out by the sound of gunshots through the phone.
Jumping to my feet, I grabbed more guns from my drawers and hurried away from my desk. I went to the camera monitors, and as I looked at her sleeping form on the bed, I hoped I wasn’t too late.
I checked the external camera monitors to see men, undoubtedly armed, trickling in from the south gates.
Katria’s room was the first place I went to as I left my home office. She was wide awake, her green eyes alert, when I got inside the room.
“What’s going on?” she questioned, looking up at me from where she sat on the floor at the foot of her bed.
“Everything will be okay,” I answered. “Just don’t leave this room. For any reason.”
“Okay,” she agreed, her voice soft and unsure.
I had been prepared to yell at her or even restrain her if she proved stubborn as usual. I didn’t prepare for her not to voice a single protest.
Nodding, I left the room, locked the door, and went down the stairs.
“Boss! We can handle it. You—” Sava started, meeting me at the first landing, before I cut in.
“I know. Kat is your priority. Guard her hallway.”
“Yes, Boss.”
The booming of gunshots was louder and more unforgiving as I stepped out of the house and stalked toward the garden. It wasn’t hard to find Luka crouched behind the greenery as he fired shots.
“Boss,” he whispered when he turned to see me. “They attacked the men at the south gate and got in.”
Getting into position beside him, I asked, “Where’s Feliks?”
Luka didn’t get a chance to answer as the Bratva veteran showed up beside us, his brown eyes shining as he ran a hand through his long hair.
“I didn’t know you both were here. I had to follow the shots. I’m going out there,” Feliks informed, gesturing toward the rear of the property. “I’ll fire up front.”
“We’ll cover you, then come after. They don’t have anything beyond their ambush plan,” I said.
“Which is now ruined. Their numbers can’t help them,” Luka added.
“They’ll retreat in no time,” Feliks agreed.
Luka and I fired shots at the men who targeted Feliks as he advanced across the garden. We soon closed in on them, leaving the ones who weren’t dead scampering away for their lives.
“Luka, your 3 o’clock!” Feliks called.
A clean shot from my gun dropped the guy to the floor as I moved ahead of Danil and Luka. The intense firing died down, and my other men emerged from their various spots.
“Recognize anyone?” I asked Feliks as we waded through the sea of bloodied bodies.
“Definitely from one of the factions,” Luka said, and Feliks nodded.
We were heading toward the back door when Feliks bent over one of the invaders’ bodies. He pointed at the tattoo on the inside of his exposed wrist.
“Orsinov faction,” he divulged.
“They’re getting even more curious,” Luka commented.
It’s getting more serious.
Being a target or even getting attacked wasn’t new to me. Katria being added to the mix, however, made this attack different. It felt personal.
I cleared my throat loudly in an attempt to banish the unfamiliar unease that crawled up my spine at the thought of any of them getting to her.
Suddenly, the marriage couldn’t happen soon enough.
“Investigate this. Find out what exactly they know and how they got the information,” I told Luka, who nodded briskly in response.
“Security must be tripled. I don’t want any funny business tomorrow,” I said, turning toward Feliks.
“On it,” he replied.
I headed for the door, taking my suit off before entering the house. Aside from the few bullet grazes that tore the fabric, I was sure it was bloodstained.
Only when I was already unlocking the door to Katria’s room did I think of putting my guns away since there was no suit to conceal the holster against my hip.
She sprang up from the floor and rushed toward me. I stood still, not knowing what to expect.
She threw her arms around me.
“Who are they? Why were they here?” she rushed.
I blinked in utter surprise.
And then she stepped back.
My hands went into my pockets as she leaned against the table, facing me.
“They’re from one of the factions after you and the information you now possess,” I revealed.
“So…they wanted me?”
It didn’t feel good for a reason I didn’t understand, but it was only fair to tell her the truth.
When did I start caring about ‘fair’ for fuck’s sake?
I nodded in affirmation.
“They’re gone, some of them, at least,” I revealed. “But I’m not going to deceive you by saying the danger is over. What I can assure you of, however, is that they’ll have to pass through me before they reach you.”
Her eyes moved to the floor.
“I know marrying me is the last thing you want to do,” I admitted. “Right now, the options are dangerously limited. It’s the best option. One of them will reach you and kill you, otherwise. You can’t run from them.”
I waited for her retort or argument.
None came.
I left the room.