Page 43 of Roman Petrov

I’d rather know every inch of her body than this place.

It doesn’t have the same appeal.

Huh. My priorities seem to have shifted.

There’s a piece of my mind telling me to say “fuck it” and leave. Let whatever criminal do their deed, I’ll clean up the mess later.

Whoever they are, they can have the place. I got what I needed out of the deal.

I’m nearly halfway into the building when I decide I’m done. It’s been almost two hours. I haven’t found any sign, and I’m tired of wasting my time.

Something crunches under my foot.

Broken glass?

With a burst of pain, my weapon and light fall from my hands as a crowbar is slammed over my arms from a hidden door.

Rolling backwards, I duck and narrowly avoid a crashing blow towards my head.

Fuck.

My wrist screams at me when I push myself up and scramble backwards.

“I was hoping it would be you.” A menacing voice echoes through the dark corridor.

Shadows of a man loom over me, and he kicks my gun away with a rattle.

“Do you have any idea how much money it cost me to hire those men to keep your goons busy? I didn’t think you’d want the cops here.” When a flicker of illumination hits, I recognize the hollow eyes of that asshole Drew Allen.

“Of course it’s you,” I grunt, holding my left arm against my body. It feels like it might be broken.

Hurts like a bitch. “I didn’t make your wife cheat on you, dipshit. She came to the club all on her own.”

He swings his weapon like a bat, making me jump out of his reach.

“She wouldn’t have been there if you didn’t exist!” His voice cracks and he lunges towards me, the sharp tines aiming for my gut.

“You’re insane, you know that?” Or, maybe I’m the crazy one, trying to yell at the man with the death wish, while I don’t have anything to defend myself.

Turning, I run in the direction of the exit.

But, the hook of the crowbar snags around my ankle, sending me hurdling onto my chest on the cold floor.

This guy is pissing me off.

My foot shoots out, catching him in the side of the knee.

With a cry, he topples over, and I hear the heavy steel bar bounce off of the concrete.

I kick out again, trying to connect with his head, but my heel glances across his shoulder. My hand doesn’t want to hold my weight, so I use my elbow to push myself up.

His shoes scrape, and I can hear him chasing me around the corner.

This isn’t going to end well for one of us.

And, I don’t lose. Nadia being naked in my bed proves that.

Making a hard turn, I grab the frame to pull myself into the next dark room.

---