Page 85 of Sunrise Malice

This is bad. This is very bad. I never imagined Pascal would stoop so low, but it’s the only logical explanation. He must’ve tipped Dusan off as he escaped, and the wily fucking Serb was smart enough to come take advantage of my weakened position.

Now, Pascal gets to run away, while I’m trapped in this fucking building, my men spread thin and too bloodied to mount a reasonable defense.

I leave Jean in charge of the front staircase and go to check the back. There’s sporadic shooting, but the Serbians haven’t tried to push upstairs in earnest yet. That’ll happen soon—they’re just clearing the bottom floor first. My soldiers are in good positions though, and I have to hope we can hold out.

But for what? I rack my brain trying to come up with allies that might be able to help. Ronan’s downstairs, shot and maybe dead. The Biancos aren’t an option. The former head of the Polish mafia is dead, and his family isn’t getting involved in any wars as they figure out their own internal issues. I’d rather castrate myself than call Marco, our former friend, and the bastard that betrayed us in the end. The motorcycle clubs are in disarray after one of their biggest gangs was slaughtered last year.

It’s a fucking mess. And nobody’s coming.

I retreat to check on Brianne and Kim. They’re safe with Helga, all of them looking grim. For a moment, I want to beg them to climb out the window. I could lead them to Grandpère’s ladder and cover them as they tried to escape, or even sacrifice myselfin some grand, doomed distraction charge, just to give Brianne a chance to get out.

But she’ll never abandon Kim, and there’s no way a girl with a shattered pelvis is climbing out a window.

“How bad is it?” Brianne asks me quietly. I take her to the far corner of the room and sit with her for a moment. I touch her hair and lean in to kiss her, wondering if this is the last time I’ll get to do this.

“I’ll take care of you. Don’t worry.” But I’m not sure it’s true.

She can see through my bullshit. She touches my cheek and leans her forehead into mine. “They’re coming up soon, aren’t they?”

“We’ll hold out.”

“For what? Who’s coming?”

“I don’t know. But we’ll hold out.”

“I can call someone in the Hayes Group.”

“Ronan’s downstairs.” I tilt my chin forward and kiss her. “I don’t know if that will help.”

“I’ll try anyway. I know people. They’ll help if Ronan’s in trouble.”

I don’t argue. What can it hurt? But before I let her go make the call, I hold her tighter and kiss her again. She stares at me, her eyes brimming with tears. I’d tell her not to cry, that everything will be okay, but I don’t think that’s true.

And I don’t want one of the last things I say to her to be a lie.

“I fell for you hard, my wife,” I whisper, stroking a thumb down her cheek. “God, I wanted so much for us.”

“I fell for you too. I fell in love with you and I really didn’t want to.”

“I love you, Brianne.” I kiss her gently.

She returns the kiss with force. “I love you too. But this isn’t over. It can’t be over.”

“I’m going to do everything in my power to keep you safe. Do you hear me? I’ll kill a thousand men before they get to you.”

“Julien—”

“I love you.” I stand and stare down at her, determination surging in my chest. “I’ll come back for you.”

I turn and leave the room. Helga follows me out, looking grim. She knows better than most what’s going to happen next. I pull her close and speak low. “Don’t let them get taken.”

“I will not.”

“Good. Get Brianne out.”

She nods once. “That will mean leaving my patient behind.”

“I know. But if the Serbians reach the second floor and we can’t hold them any longer, get Brianne out. Promise me.”

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