Page 58 of Till Death Saves Me

Gritting my teeth, I force myself to focus. The bullet missed anything vital - I can still move my arm. But fuck, it hurts.

I swivel, searching for the shooter. There. On a nearby rooftop. I can see the glint of his rifle in the firelight.

Ignoring the searing pain in my shoulder, I bring my rifle up once more. The world narrows down to just me and my target. I exhale slowly, steadying my aim.

The shot rings out, and I watch with grim satisfaction as the sniper topples from his perch.

Around me, the battle rages on. Lev and the others are engaged in close-quarter combat, taking down the remaining Reds with brutal efficiency.

I swing my rifle around, providing cover fire where I can. Each shot sends a jolt of pain through my wounded shoulder, but I push through it. We're so close to finishing this. I can't falter now.

I grit my teeth against the pain in my shoulder as I squeeze off another round. The last Red falls, and suddenly, the night is eerily quiet. The crackle of flames is the only sound breaking the silence.

"Clear!" Lev's voice rings out, followed by similar calls from our other men.

I slide off the SUV's roof, my legs shaky as the adrenaline starts to ebb. Lev's at my side in an instant, his eyes zeroing in on my bloodied shoulder.

"You good?" he asks, voice gruff with concern.

I nod, not trusting my voice just yet. The pain's a bitch, but I've had worse.

We pile into the vehicles, a tense silence settling over us as we speed towards our main warehouse. My mind races, replaying the night's events. Did we get them all? Did the other teams succeed?

The warehouse comes into view, and I feel my muscles tighten. Other cars are already there - a good sign, but until we're sure...

We burst through the doors, weapons at the ready. The scene that greets us is one of controlled chaos. Men are moving about, some nursing wounds, others securing prisoners. But there's an undercurrent of excitement in the air.

Lev grabs the nearest guy. "Report," he barks.

The man's face splits into a grin. "We got 'em, boss. All targets hit, just like planned."

Relief washes over me, so intense it's almost dizzying. Or maybe that's the blood loss talking. Either way, I allow myself a small smile. We did it.

Lev's phone rings, cutting through the noise. He answers, his face going blank as he listens. My heart rate picks up again. What now?

After what feels like an eternity, Lev ends the call. He turns to me, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"Volkov's dead," he says simply.

The words hit me like a physical force. Volkov. Dead. It's over. We've won.

The warehouse erupts as men are ready to celebrate, but I barely hear them. My thoughts are already racing ahead, to a certain safe room and the woman waiting inside.

Virginia. I can go back to her now. We're safe. We're free.

I turn to Lev, ready to make my exit, but he pins me with a look.

"You're hurt." I start to shake my head, but he glares at me. The other injured are already being rounded up and dealt with. Lev shoves me in the direction. "You're getting stitched up first."

I grumble, clenching my fist as he pushes me toward the other side of the warehouse. All I fucking want is to see my wife.

28

IVAN

Igrit my teeth as the medic prods at my shoulder. The local anesthetic hasn't fully kicked in yet, and every touch sends jolts of pain through my body. But I barely register it. My mind is consumed by one thought: Virginia.

"Dmitry," I bark, my voice rough with tension. The young soldier snaps to attention. "Go to the house. Bring my wife here. Now."

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