Page 78 of Savage Reins
"Wrong answer." Dima's backhand catches her across the other cheek. Her head whips to the side, more blood spattering the concrete.
Red floods my vision. "Take your hands off her."
"Or what? You'll shoot?" Vadim's voice holds amusement. "We both know you won't pull that trigger."
He's right. I can't shoot Lev or this place will erupt. But I can't watch them hurt Mira, either.
Dima raises his hand again. This time, his fist connects with Mira's jaw, snapping her head back. She staggers, catches herself against the workbench.
Dima demands, "No more games. No more lies. Tell me plainly you cheated and I'll make it quick."
Mira wipes blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. Her voice comes out thick but steady. Dima's face darkens. He shoves the gun barrel against her mouth. Mira's eyes go wide with terror, but she doesn't break.
Her gaze locks on mine. In her eyes I see fear and determination and trust. She's trusting me to understand, to believe that what she did wasn't about deception but survival.
But she won't give them what they want even with cold steel against her lips.
"She can't talk with a gun in her mouth," I say desperately.
"She can nod." Dima's finger finds the trigger. "Or she can die with the truth."
That's when something inside me snaps.
I don't think, don't calculate odds or consider consequences. I just move.
My gun swings away from Lev toward Dima. Alexei shouts a warning. Dima dives sideways. And I launch myself across the shed.
He sees me coming, tries to swing his weapon toward me while keeping Mira close, but I tackle him around the waist, driving him backward into the tool rack. His gun goes flying as we crash into the workbench.
Wrenches and hammers rain down around us. Dima is bigger than me but I'm faster, fueled by rage and desperation. My fist finds his jaw, then his ribs. He grunts, rolls, comes up swinging.
His punch catches me in the stomach, doubling me over. But I've been in worse fights. I grab his shirt, headbutt him in the nose. Blood gushes down his face.
"Renat, stop!" Vadim shouts, but I'm past hearing.
Alexei tries to intervene, grabbing my shoulder. I elbow him in the throat, send him staggering backward gasping. Dima recovers, swings a haymaker that grazes my temple. Stars explode behind my eyes.
Years of bare-knuckle fighting take over. Muscle memory guides my movements as I drive my knee into Dima's stomach, double him over, then bring my elbow down on the back of his neck. He drops to his knees, gasping.
"You don't touch her." I grab him by the hair, lift his face so he can see me clearly. "You don't threaten her. You don't even breathe wrong in her direction."
"Renat!" Vadim grabs my arm, tries to pull me back. I shake him off violently.
Alexei comes at me from the side, swinging a wrench he grabbed from the floor. I catch his wrist, twist until bone pops. He screams, drops the tool, clutches his broken arm.
But now Lev has his gun out, aimed at Mira's head. "Enough!"
I freeze, panting. Dima spits blood on the concrete, glaring up at me with murder in his eyes. Alexei whimpers on the floor. Vadim stands ready to grab me again.
"You broke my fucking arm," Alexei gasps.
"Touch her again and I'll break more." I don't take my eyes off Lev's gun.
"This ends now." Lev's voice carries absolute authority. "The girl comes with us. The debt will be paid in blood."
"No." I step toward him, but he presses the gun harder against Mira's temple.
"One more step and I paint the walls with her brains."
