Page 180 of Silenced

“I’d say seventy percent are on-site.”

“Why aren’t they out fighting?” Misha pesters.

“Linton runs his ship differently. The top ranks don’t get their hands dirty like our Pakhan and Brigadiers do.”

Igor’s pride in that is obvious and it’s the trigger I need.

Whether this will decimate them entirely or just kill Linton, I’m happy so long as that fucker dies tonight.

Sucking in a breath, resolve set, I give Igor and Misha a brisk nod.

The time for talking is done.

Storming over to the pickup truck that’s loaded with gas canisters, I jump into the driver’s seat.

Reversing out of the neighborhood, I ride along the street so that I can pull a U-turn. That’s when I hit the accelerator and barrel toward their subdivision.

Halfway down the road, I shove the door open and throw myself onto the street. I know I broke my arm in the fall, so I hold it to my side as I get the hell out of there.

When a barrage of bullets from my men follow the truck once I’m safely on the ground, the explosion hits. It lifts me from the pavement and sends me flying.

I know the landing will be brutal.

But not as much as that explosion was.

As I soar through the air, there’s a smile on my face, though.

Vengeanceshouldbe painful, and itwillhurt, but at least Linton won’t survive the night.

45

NIKOLAI

“You’re a lucky motherfucker.”

That has me groaning.

“Yeah, I know you’re hurting, but you’d be hurting a lot fucking worse if you hadn’t landed in that swimming pool. We overestimated the blast. You’re lucky these gangbangers are bougie.”

Misha’s dry tone has me squinting up at him as I finally dare to open my eyes.

“Bougie?” I try to sign, but,blyad, my hands.

Something’s sprained. Maybe even goddamn broken.

Misha shakes his head. “And you wonder where Maxim gets his batshit crazy ideas from.”

“Could. Have. Stopped. Me.”

He snorts, but his eyes widen at the fact that I’ve spoken.

With the current state of my hands, I had no choice.

“He also inherited your obstinacy,” he muses. “No way of changing your mind once it’s set. It isn’t like I can complain. Not when that was so effective.”

“Worked?”

“Da.No bodies have been recovered yet according to the police radio—the blast’s still burning. Miami won’t forget tonight,” he states, tone laced with satisfaction.

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