Page 63 of Bound By Longing

“There’s a fire,” Mila says, pointing to the ground below. The apartment building is on fire.

“We need to get out,” Mikhail says, gently tugging Sofiya toward the door. “We’ll have to take the stairs. Come on.”

We hurry down the emergency stairs, which lead to a back alleyway. It’s filled with tons of other people—all the residents of the building.

Glancing around, I sense something is off. And then I spot it—Lev, leaning against the opposite building, smiling at me.

“We need to move,” I tell Mila. “Now.”

As a group, we run down the alleyway and out onto the other street.

“I’m calling for a car,” Mikhail says right when a car pulls up in front of us. Dimitri is inside with Vlad.

And they start firing in our direction. I grab Mila and pull her back down the alleyway. When the other people hear gunshots, everything becomes a madhouse, with people running around and screaming.

“Come on,” Mikhail growls, leading us into the parking garage. A firefighter truck pulls up and starts shouting at people to leave. They intercept us before we can get to Mikhail’s car. We have no choice but to head back out to the alleyway.

“My car is parked out front,” I say. “But we’ll have to pass by Lev to get it.”

Mikhail nods. “All right. It’s our only play. Sofiya, stay behind. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

I turn to Mila, but she’s already following Mikhail and Sofiya. So, I do my job and bring up the rear, knowing I’ll protect her at all costs.

Chapter

Seventeen

MILA

We run through the crowd of people. The firefighters are trying to maintain control, but there are so many people. I can feel Lev’s eyes on me as we push around people and head for Damien’s car.

It doesn’t seem to matter what I do. I choose Damien; I get hurt. I don’t choose Damien; I still get hurt. Lev, Dimitri, and Vlad are coming for me. They’re coming for Damien, too, for almost killing them.

Will I ever be happy in life?

“Come on,” Damien says as we make it to his car. We get inside, Mikhail in the front with Damien, Sofiya, and me huddled in the back. For a second, all I can think is that Vik will feel completely left out once she hears about this.

If we survive, that is.

Damien speeds away, even though a few firefighters call after us. We’re far away from the penthouse when Lev’s car pulls up beside us. Dimitri leans out the passenger side and starts firing his gun. Damien swerves to the side to avoid getting hit. The bullet lands in the window by my head.

I gasp and duck down farther.

“Drive faster,” Mikhail growls.

“I’m trying,” Damien snaps back. He picks up the speed, but Lev just matches it. Dimitri continues to fire at us.

Damien turns a corner, but they just follow.

“How can we lose them?” Sofiya asks.

“Just stay down,” Mikhail tells her.

Sofiya runs her hands over her belly. I just hope she and the baby will be ok. I grab her hand, and she offers me a tight smile in return. At least we have each other.

Lev keeps pace with us and doesn’t show any sign of stopping.

“I have an idea,” Damien says. He turns another corner, with Lev doing the same. But instead of picking up speed, he slams on his brakes and turns the car around. Lev continues driving forward. By the time he stops his car to turn it around, Damien has driven us away.

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