Page 117 of Kings of Violence

Impatience nips at me, but I tell him, “Two guys were talking about ‘dosing’ the people in that room, on Don Marino’s orders. All of them. I somehow don’t think they meant happy drugs.”

“And you just happened to find that out?” Nikolai asks, his lip curling. He glances at Yuri. “Do you actually believe her?”

“I found her running in our direction. She wasn’t trying to escape,” Yuri says, and he takes half a step between me and Nikolai as if to protect me.

“I could have gone with my brother and Silvano!” I say, which is technically true, even if the thought of joining Kyran and Silvano revolts me. “Please. We don’t have time for this.”

Angelo pushes away from the wall. “You guys can squabble. I’m going to check it out.”

“Thank you,” I say hoarsely, dropping my heels on the floor. “Fuck. What can I do?”

“Stay out of it,” Nikolai says, his voice curt. “We’ll figure out what to do with you later.”

“I’m not leaving her on her own!” Yuri snaps, and I want to cryall over again because he still gives a fuck about me somehow. Goddamn it. I need to get myself under control. “They’ll murder her.”

Angelo walks past us to the door and rattles the handle. It’s locked, as expected. He sighs and looks over to Yuri. “Can I borrow the gun you’re hiding?”

Nikolai looks between them. “Where’d you get a gun?” he asks Yuri. “Do you have more than one?”

Yuri pulls out a gun, and I have no idea how he snuck that past security.

“I, ah, found it. While looking around the mansion.” Yuri eyes Angelo. “What are you planning on doing?”

Angelo points to the door handle. “What do you think? You can do it instead. Just be ready to use it again immediately.”

There’s so much at stake, and the knowledge that I could be wrong grips me. What if I am? What if I somehow misunderstood, and they go in — literally — guns blazing?

But I know in my gut that I’m right.

I hurry to stand across the room, well out of the way of any potential ricochet, and Nikolai scowls but does the same. He even puts his body between mine and the door, and I think that maybe, just maybe, I’m not as fucked as I think I am.

Then again, they need me alive if they’re going to punish me.

Yuri glances between Angelo and the door before reluctantly handing him the gun. “You’d better be a good shot.” He pulls out two knives from sheaths I hadn’t even known were strapped to his legs, and I have no idea how he got those through security either.

Angelo lets out a dark chuckle. “Right now? These fuckers won’t have time to blink before I get them.”

I brace myself, and a second later I hear the gunshot. Angelo immediately follows up by kicking the door open. A guard cries out, and I don’t even have to breathe before Angelo shoots the guy who pops into the doorway.

The other guard tries to push his way inside, but Yuri is waiting just beside the door. He drives his knife directly into the guy’s throat, his blood erupting in a large spray. It hits Angelo directly in the face.

Angelo grumbles. “And here I thought I could get through one single fucking party without getting bloodstains on my suit.”

Nikolai barks out a laugh. “Yuri, give me one of those,” he says, crossing the room in a few quick, long strides. “Sierra, stay close behind me.”

Yuri hands Nikolai one of the knives without any hesitation at all. “I spotted at least three other guys patrolling the halls earlier.”

“Yeah. I know a few of them.” Angelo grimaces. “I really hope they don’t make me shoot them.”

I follow them, feeling helpless and wishing I had a gun of my own. Kyran had taught me how to use them…

Bitterness and rage and utter sadness threaten to overwhelm me, and I swallow a sob as I remind myself that I am not breaking the fuck down right here and now.

I follow the men down the hall, staying close to Nikolai.

I take slow, deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. I’m safe, or as safe as I can be. And the others…

I can’t believe I’m hoping Konstantin is okay, but I am.

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