Page 40 of A Pawn in the Game
The Russian flashes us another smile, one that sends chills down to my bones. “You think I care who I hit? We’ll just tell Landers you killed her.”
As expected, these guys don’t care about me. I’m a trading piece, just an object they use until I’m no longer necessary. I feel my legs giving out, but Luka holds me up, wrapping an arm around my waist.
“You wouldn’t do anything here. Not with all these people around,” Luka bites out, his voice echoing in my head.
“Wouldn’t I? Maybe not there, in the open. But Ms. Landers gave me a shot in this secluded space. Pun not intended.” He laughs at his joke before cocking the gun. Luka’s weapon clicks next to my ear, and I’m pretty sure that even if these guys don’t kill me, my heart is going to give out.
I’m fully limp in Luka’s arms, my vision blurry when I notice something flying toward the Russian’s head. Luka’s gun connects to the stranger’s forehead, and he lets out a loud grunt. I don’t see more because I’m already turned away, a massive body coveringmine. A hand snakes behind my knees, lifting me off the ground and carrying me out of the bathroom.
We enter the kitchen, where the flabbergasted cooks rush to get out of our way. Metal clanks as they drop their utensils to the floor. A few of them open their mouths to protest, but I guess Luka’s expression shuts them up.
“Grab my phone from my pocket.” I barely make out Luka’s words. “Grab my phone from my pocket,” Luka repeats, louder this time, and I listen.
Shaky hands slip into his chest pocket, taking his phone out. It’s an old flip phone, which surprises me, even under the circumstances. “Dial Ivan and put it to my ear.”
I find Ivan’s contact, click the green handset, and press it to Luka’s ear.
His voice is rough and loud as he screams at Ivan in Croatian. Before I know it, we’re stepping outside into a deserted alley, where a single server is taking his smoke break. He dumps the cigarette on the ground, desperate to get inside.
Car brakes screech on the asphalt, and a dark figure gets out to open the back door. Luka pushes us both inside, closing the door behind him. We peel off in a hurry. I take a second to realize I’m shivering.
CHAPTER 20
Luka
“What the hell happened out there?” Leon asks from the driver’s seat, and I level him with a glare.
“I told you it wasn’t a good idea to bring her,” I growl.
“This is good, right?” Ivan asks, trying to make peace between us. “Means we have their attention. They’re looking for her.”
“Boli ih kurac za nju!”I yell in Croatian. They don’t give a shit about her.
Leon sneaks a glance at me, and I know he realizes how serious this is. Sophie is still in my arms, shaking. I cover her with my jacket, but her shivers don’t subside. Her soft cries burrow themselves deep inside of my chest.
What would Father say?We’re victimizing this poor girl for our gain. Would he even want us to avenge him if this was the price?
I place a hand on Sophie’s shoulder, trying to block out her sobs. The closest woman I have in my life is Danica, my housekeeper. I never even met my mother. She died while giving birth to me, but Father made sure I knew her very well.
Her photos were strewn around the house. We listened to her favorite music and watched the movies she loved. Every year, onher birthday, I’d watch his heart get broken again, as he’d bring flowers home, only to have no one to give them to.
He taught us women are precious. He taught us every woman deserves to be protected.What the hell are we doing here?
My hand crosses my face, and I realize Sophie stopped crying. Her breathing evened out, and I’d be willing to bet she fell asleep.
I let out a sharp breath, a part of the guilt inside of me relieved.
Ivan parks in front of my club and I carefully lift Sophie to carry her out of the car.
“Moramo razgovarati o tome, Luka,” Leon says, but I’m already shaking my head. I don’t care that he wants to talk about it.
“Not tonight. I need to get some rest.”
Using my foot, I close the car doors and walk inside the club. Everyone is drunk and horny, dry humping in the booths and barely anyone notices me carrying a girl downstairs. To her cage.
I swallow around the lump in my throat and set her down gently on the bed. I know she’d prefer sleeping in her hoodie, but there’s no way for me to change her clothes, so this will have to do. I slip off her heels, noticing the red marks they’ve left on, and decide to at least put her socks on.
I place her under the covers, pulling a blanket up to her neck. Pressing the bridge of my nose, I unbutton a few buttons on my shirt.
