Page 11 of Bratva's Vow
“Okay,” Sergei’s voice crackled through the comms, “he might be useful after all.”
“You’re damn right I am!”
Maxim leaned in. “Nice shot, solnyshko.”
I beamed at him, heat crawling up my neck. “Thanks. Told you I wasn’t just a pretty face.”
“I’d like you anyway if you were just a pretty face.”
“Fucking hell, you two. Now’s not the time for all that lovey dovey crap. Save it for after we win, will ya?”
“Sorry.”
The game stretched on like a pulse-pounding dream. I caught Jess trying to ambush us near the reactor tunnel and managed to tag her before she ducked out of sight. Darius was sneakier, somehow always popping up behind me, only to get blasted by Sergei or Maxim before he could pull the trigger.
By round two, I was sweaty, out of breath, and completely high on adrenaline. I’d never had so much fun in my life.
We regrouped briefly behind a barricade shaped like a crashed spacecraft. Maxim leaned back against it, panting lightly as he watched the upper level.
“I think Nik’s circling to the south wall,” he said.
“I can go check.” I already stepped away.
“Stay close.”
I waved him off. “I’ll be quick.”
I darted down the side passage, gripping my laser rifle tightly. The corridor narrowed into a maze of glowing crates and thin fog. Faint laughter and footsteps drifted on and off, but the arena distorted sound in weird ways. It was hard to tell who was where.
“Wren!”
I froze.
Maxim’s voice.
It echoed through the space like a low growl, full of urgency.
“Wren, where are you?”
I crouched beside a barrel, heart hammering. I didn’t respond. Not because I was scared, but because I didn’t want to give away my location to Nik or Jess. They were definitely still out there, and I was pretty sure I was winning.
“Wren! Kroshka!”
That one was closer. Sharper. More panicked.
I hesitated.
Maxim appeared, half running, his rifle swinging from his vest. The moment he saw me, he exhaled sharply and crossed the distance in two long strides.
“I’ve been calling for you,” he said, voice low and tight.
“I heard you, but—” I shrugged. “I didn’t want to give away my position.”
“Jesus, Wren.” He grabbed my face, brushing his thumbs along my jaw as if needing to confirm I was still breathing. “You disappeared. I couldn’t find you.”
“I’m fine. Why are you freaking out? We’re so close to winning.”
Maxim didn’t even crack a smile. “We have a slight problem. We need to end the game early.”
