Page 86 of Sunrise Malice

“I will do what I can.”

Helga rejoins the girls and I walk away, not feeling better, but holding on to the hope that Brianne might get through this after all. I hate the idea of leaving Kim behind, but the Serbiansdon’t need her. She’s not a threat, and she’s not a part of my organization. That’ll protect her some.

Jean nods at me as I approach the main stairwell. “How bad down there?” I ask him.

“They’re gathering for a push. Won’t be long now.”

I count my soldiers waiting nearby, crouched in doorways and hiding around corners.

There aren’t enough.

Someone shouts my name from down below. I recognize the voice. I peer over the banister at a sea of bloodthirsty faces, half a dozen guns pointed in my direction, and Dusan’s standing in their midst.

“I’m surprised you came all the way out here just for me,” I call back to him.

“I decided this would be fun.” Dusan sounds much too relaxed. “So far, it has been.”

“You should go home. You and your men.”

“Why would we do that? We outnumber you two to one.”

“You’re about to rush into a well-defended choke point. We can hold you off for a long time.”

“You’ll run out of bullets eventually.” Dusan grins up at me like he really is enjoying himself. “You know the fucked-up part of this? It was your grandfather that called and told me about what happened.”

I curse to myself. I fucking knew it. “He’s an old fool and a traitor.”

“Maybe, but that old fool got one over on you. From what I can tell, he’s headed over to the Biancos right now.”

“And you’re okay with that? You think that’ll be good for you?”

“Oh, absolutely fucking not, but you don’t have to worry about it. You’ll be dead.” He reaches behind him and grabs something. I expect a gun, but instead it’s a small cylinder with a little circular tab at the top. “Good luck, Julien. I hope hell’s nice these days.”

Dusan pulls the tab and it hits me.

He’s got a fuckinggrenade.

“Get back!” I yell, throwing myself down the hall, as Dusan tosses the cylinder up onto the second-floor landing.

Two more follow.

Then the explosion rips into the building.

Chapter 38

Julien

The mansion’s on fire.

Men are screaming nearby. Some of my soldiers didn’t get away fast enough and were caught in the blast. They were either broken to pieces by the initial explosion or shredded by the subsequent shrapnel, but either way, I can’t help them. The fire’s spreading along the carpets and into the drapes, sending thick plumes of dark smoke into the halls.

But the stairs are a wreck. Dusan must not have counted on that. Or maybe he did, and he’s trying to smoke us out the back way. Whatever his plan, I’m forced back with Jean toward the narrow second staircase, where things are still quiet.

“Only one option,” Jean says, looking grim as he gathers our remaining soldiers. There are only ten of us now, which isn’t nearly enough.

“Wait here,” I order them and rush back into Brianne’s room. The girls look terrified and Helga asks for a status report. I tell her what happened. “We have to leave,” I say, making it totally clear.

“How?” Brianne stares at Kim in horror. “She can’t walk. She can’t even move without serious help.”

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