Page 62 of The Arrangement

Aleksey, seizing the moment, brandishes his gun once again, this time aiming it directly at Tory. His voice is cold, laced with a venomous triumph. "I'm calling the shots now, big brother. If you have any sense left, you'll remember that. Unless you want to die here, start acting like you understand your place."

I'm seething, my response defiant. "You'll kill me regardless. I’m not as stupid as you seem to think." My heart pounds, every instinct screaming to protect Tory, to fight regardless of the odds.

Aleksey gives a nonchalant shrug, his cruelty unwavering. "Maybe I'll just end her life and leave you broken, a constant reminder of what you've lost." His smirk is sinister, enjoying the twisted game he's playing. Then he hints at something more, a deeper layer of his plan. "You don't even grasp the full extent of what's at stake here, Maksim."

Confusion cuts through my anger. "What are you talking about?" I demand, struggling against the guards' hold. My mind races, trying to decipher Aleksey's cryptic taunts. What hasn't he revealed? What more could he possibly have planned?

My brother’s silence is maddening, his smile all the more infuriating. He's holding something back, some critical piece of this nightmare I haven't pieced together yet.

Aleksey's laughter pierces the heavy air, deranged and chilling. "Oh, brother, the look on your face is going to be priceless." He cackles, then drops the bombshell, "Your precious Tory is pregnant."

My world stops. The revelation hits like a physical blow, and for a moment, I'm completely disoriented, the reality of the situation crashing down on me. I turn to Tory, searching her eyes, and find them brimming with tears. The truth in her gaze is undeniable.

Aleksey, reveling in the moment, goads her. "Go on, tell him what you told me." His gun is still menacingly pointed at her.

With a voice barely above a whisper, Tory confirms, "It's true. I'm pregnant." The words hang heavy between us, a revelation that changes everything.

The sight of Aleksey aiming his gun at her, at our unborn child, ignites a rage within me that knows no bounds. In a flash of motion fueled by pure fury, I lash out at the nearest guard, my training taking over. A swift punch to his jaw disorients him enough for me to grab his gun, turning it on Aleksey.

The room is charged with tension, a precarious standoff that could erupt at any second.

"You won't get away with this," I growl, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. "Harming Tory, our child... you've crossed a line from which there's no return."

Aleksey, with a twisted grin, doesn't miss a beat. "It's almost pathetic, your misplaced loyalty to someone who means nothing in the grand scheme of things."

I keep my focus, gun steady in my grip even as his words aim to wound. "Is that what you tell yourself to justify this? That everyone else is just collateral damage to your ambition?"

He scoffs, the sound echoing mockingly in the tense air. "Please, you think you're any better? Trying to pretend you’re some kind of saint? It's a weak façade, brother. Deep down, you're just as willing to take what's yours by any means necessary."

The distance between Aleksey and me, though not vast, is enough to seed doubt. I'm a good shot, but under these circumstances, with Tory's life hanging in the balance, the margin for error is nonexistent. A miss could seal her fate, and that's a risk I can't take.

And then there's the other plan, the ace up my sleeve I've been anxiously waiting to play. Where the hell are they? I wonder, frustration gnawing at me. Timing is everything, and right now, it feels like ours is running out.

Suddenly, the room plunges into darkness.

Aleksey curses loudly, confusion and anger lacing his voice as he demands, "What the fuck is going on?"

A smirk spreads across my face, the first genuine sign of hope since this standoff began. "Looks like our guests have finally arrived," I say, more to myself than anyone else. The cavalry has come, right on cue.

In the cover of darkness, the dynamics shift. This blackout isn't just a power failure; it's a signal, a meticulously planned move announcing the arrival of reinforcements. My heart races, not with fear, but with the adrenaline of impending action.

Aleksey's temporary disorientation gives us a precious advantage. It's time to turn the tables on him, to seize control of the situation and ensure the safety of Tory and our unborn child.

Chapter 33

Tory

Like some kind of miracle, everything goes black. It's so dark I can't see my hand in front of my face.

Aleksey's freaking out, his voice cutting through the darkness, "What the fuck is going on?"

Honestly, I'd laugh if the situation weren't so intense.

Seizing the moment, I elbow Aleksey right in the stomach and make a break for it, dashing toward where I last saw Maksim. My heart's pounding so loud, I'm sure it could guide me through this blackout. Just as I'm about to reach him, Aleksey's voice slices through the chaos, ordering his goons to "take us out."

We bolt out of the study with gunshots ringing out behind us. The whole thing feels like a scene from a movie I'd definitely never want to star in. Risking a glance over my shoulder, my eyes have adjusted enough to the darkness to see Nicky still in the room.

Maksim's hand finds mine in the dark, and we're running, dodging a hail of bullets like we're in some kind of high-stakes obstacle course.

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