Page 68 of Kept By The Agents

Our men began to show up from different areas. I knew most of them would be helping the women get out of this building. I could already hear the sirens from the local police. I'd told Boykov to bring them in once he and the others had taken care of the Raleka. The local authorities would be able to help us reunite the women with their families.

I focused on Semyon, following along and taking off my shirt as he did.

"What are the stakes?" Semyon asked.

Arching a brow, I waited.

He grinned. "How about, I win, your trained dogs here deliver me straight to prison?"

Glancing over, I saw Suave grinning. Weaver had a neutral expression on his face. Semyon calling them dogs was amusing. Not because they were, but because this man wouldn't know shit about the kind of loyalty my friends had shown me over the years. The kind of relationship we had together. He only knew loyalty through threats and bribes. I met Suave's eyes and nodded.

If Semyon somehow got the upper hand on me, Suave was to arrest him. He'd make sure Semyon had a large, horny cellmate. "Deal," I told Seymon. I didn't give a shit if he somehow did make it to prison. Suave and Weaver would find a way to keep Catalina safe. It was just Semyon's bad fortune that he wasn't going to get his wish. He wasn't getting out of here alive. He wouldn't scam the system and get to start his miserable life over in another country. This was ending. Now.

"No weapons," Weaver said, taking my gun as I handed it over. He was talking to Seymon. "I should search him," he muttered.

"Don't worry about it," I told him. We all watched as he spread his arms in the air, as though to ask, where would I hide one?

Stepping closer, I ignored the men coming into the room. The others would make sure we weren't ambushed by any more of Semyon's men. I braced as Semyon launched toward me. He was quick for a big man, but I'd been expecting it. My fist shot out and connected with his jaw. He staggered back and shook his head, then came at me again. I dodged to the left, but not before he grabbed my arm and yanked me toward him.

His fist connected with my face, and I smiled as I jerked out of his hold. There was something about the pain that came with a good fight. I delighted in it. Yearned for it. Fucking savored it. This was why retirement was going to hit me hard. Even though I wanted more from life than work, it didn't mean I didn't need this too. I craved the violence.

"You're going to regret coming here," Semyon said as he advanced on me again.

I laughed. "I'm not the one who should be worried about regretting anything." My fist shot out again, connecting with his ribs. He grunted and I followed it up with another blow to his face. His head snapped back and he stumbled away from me.

He wiped at the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and smiled at me. He thought he was in control of this. He had no idea that I was the best hand to hand fighter in the CIA. He probably thought a man as big as Suave would be. But I was fast. And I was brutal. And right now? I was just fucking playing with him.

He had no idea he was the mouse to my cat, but he was going to find out.

"You think you're tough?" Semyon asked, laughing as he shook his head at me. "I'm going to show you what real power is."

My eyes narrowed as I watched him charge toward me again. He swung his fist and I ducked under it, coming up behind him and kicking him in the back of the knee. He stumbled, but didn't go down. Spinning, he grabbed me around the waist and threw me to the floor. My breath whooshed out of me as I landed hard on my back.

Semyon straddled my hips and wrapped his hands around my throat. His fingers tightened, cutting off my air supply. I bucked underneath him, dislodging him and sending him flying through the air. He'd barely hit the ground when I was on top of him. My fists pummeled his face, blood spraying from his nose and mouth with each blow.

"Brando!"

Whoever barked that out saw the flash of the knife right before Semyon lodged it in my side. White hot pain flooded me, but I wasn't about to stop.

Grabbing his head, I squeezed. Semyon must have seen my intention in my eyes a moment before I slammed his head into the cement floor because the triumphant smile slipped off his face.

I cracked his head down on the floor over and over until the sounds echoing through the room turned wet, then I shoved to my feet to survey my work. The knife was still protruding from my side, but I didn't pay it any attention.

Semyon was dead. And though he looked dead, it wasn't until someone went to roll him over that they'd realize the back of his head was obliterated. Blood was everywhere. It wasn't the end I had necessarily wanted for him, but it hadn't been painless and that was all that mattered. Well, that and the fact that he'd never be able to abduct another woman again.

Boykov approached and before I could stop him, he yanked the knife out.

"Fuck!" I bellowed and glared at him.

"You didn't even make that much noise when it went in, my friend," he said with a grin. He turned and stared down at Semyon. "I suppose my report could say that he attacked you with a knife first. It is not too far off from the truth, eh?"

I chuckled. "It's not. Thanks."

He shook his head then held out his hand. He didn't flinch when my blood soaked skin touched his. "It is I who must thank you. You've rid us of a stain on our city."

"Happy to do it," I told him. In a way, I had to give Cat credit for calling Suave. That phone call had started us down this path.

"Come. We have many interviews to do. The medics can tend to your wound while we do so." He glanced over. "I'm eager to reunite families."

---