Page 86 of Montana Falls
I didn’t even look at him. “Go away, Kiril.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Daniil cut in, his voice a mix of irritation and concern. “Move, Yeva.We will get you out.”
I glared in his direction, my jaw clenched. “I’m not asking. Leave us. We’ll manage.”
“Who is with you?”He switched to English.
“Just me, hot stuff!” Rika shouted. “Please rescue me – I don’t want to be burning and stink to death!”
Behind the beam, through the small gap in the door, I caught a glimpse of Vissarion, his soft brown eyes behind his glasses, burning with something close to panic.
I hoped he was terrified. It made a spiteful part of me happy.
“Yeva, stop being stubborn,” he said, his voice thick. “Step back so we can help.”
“I’d rather burn,” I spat, the words coming out harsher than I intended, but I meant every single one of them.
“Too bad.” He didn’t wait for me to argue again. None of them did. They just worked together, breaking down the door and shoving the thick, crumbling beam out of our way.
I staggered back toward Rika, my hands shaking, anger flaring white-hot in my chest. Howdarethey? How dare they come in here and act like I needed saving? I wasfine. I was handling it. I didn’t needtheirhelp.
With a scowl, I shot a glance at Rika, her eyes glazed, blood still dripping from her head wound and staining her pink hair. Fine. Maybe we weren’t handling it. But I still didn’t wantthem.
“Yeva,” she murmured, her eyes fluttering open and closed. “Maybe… maybe let them do their thing, huh? Use the men for men’s jobs, then send them packing. I mean no offense, but I am… I am needing help more than you could give to me.”
I gritted my teeth but said nothing, crossing my arms over my chest as I watched the three men work. The beam groaned as they worked together and lifted it, their muscles straining but nowhere near as much as mine had.
I hated how easily they were doing what I had failed to do. They were stronger than me. And that only made me angrier because they had no fucking right to be.
I wanted to be stronger than them.
I wanted to save someone for once in my fucking life, instead of being helpless.
The beam shifted, and with one final push, they lifted it free, tossing it aside like it weighed nothing. The doorway was clear now, the path to freedom open, and I came face to face with three Russian gangsters I vowed to make bleed one day.
“Get walking.” Kiril ordered, his big blue eyes locking on mine, daring me to refuse his commands again.
“Don’t tell me what to do,” I hissed, but I crouched down beside Rika anyway, helping her to her feet. She was weak, barely able to stand, but she managed a grin through the haze of pain.
“Thank you for the rescue boys, but now we handle things. Be gone and we can…” she wobbled, almost fainting, “we can be strong, independent women again.” She continued her words in Hungarian without realising she even switched.
“Shut up, Rika,” I muttered, trying to hold her up as we moved toward the door. But I could feel their eyes on me, watching my every step, and it made my skin crawl.
Would it have made me a complete bitch to lock the door behind me and let them cook to death?
I didn’t do it. That was something, right?
Right?
Vissarion was the first to move forward when I struggled, reaching out to take Rika from me, but I jerked back, holding her tighter.
“I’ve got her,” I snapped.
He didn’t argue, but his jaw tightened. He was clearly annoyed with me, but he stayed silent as we made our way out of the burning mansion, the heat still licking at our backs.
I could hear the fire roaring behind us, the sound of destruction and chaos humming in my ears. But when the fresh air hit as we stepped out onto the driveway, and I could finally breathe again, I stopped hearing anything but my grateful lungs. It was a nice feeling. One I appreciated far too much. But I would eat my own tongue before I thanked men for giving to me.
Paramedics and firefighters swarmed the grounds, the chaos of the night still in full swing, even if I felt like the drama was now a little over what with me being able to breathe again,and in no danger of becoming nothing more than ash. There were dozens of people running around, shouting commands and doing their best to play hero as they put out flames and healed injured.
