Page 88 of Til Death Do Us Part (Kornilov Bratva Duet 2)

I check that the hallway is clear before I step out, close the door, and lock it behind me.

Immediately, I realize the building is not silent, after all. My room must have been heavily soundproofed because I can hear voices and laughter coming from all around me. Some of it sounds like it is coming from different floors, but either way, there are plenty of people around here, and I need to move quickly if I want to escape.

I make it to the end of the hallway without incident when I suddenly hear pained moaning.

I consider moving on. If I can escape here and save Viktor and take down Fedor then I will come back for the other prisoners. I’ll save them then.

But what if we can’t kill Fedor? What if I escape here and die during the effort? What if I can’t come back to help anyone and they all die?

I want to stay focused on my own mission, but guilt twists my stomach, and I stop at the last door in the hallway and look through the window.

The room is dim, but I can make out two shapes lying on the ground. It takes my eyes a second to adjust, but as they do, I realize I recognize the men. One is older with a round middle and the other is a younger version of the other. Clearly related.

They are the Italian dons. The same men who promised Viktor they would help him keep an eye on Fedor only to betray Viktor and take Fedor’s side. Clearly, they are regretting that decision now.

The younger don, Rio, looks up at the window, squinting to make out who is looking at him. When he sees me, his eyes go wide. “You’re Viktor’s woman, right? What are you doing here? Is Viktor here?”

Mario Mazzeo stirs next to his son, but it is obvious he is in rough shape. His eyes are sunken in and bruised, and he has a hard time moving. “Who is here?”

Rio jumps up and moves to the door, his hands bound behind his back. “Get us out of here. Fedor locked us up, and we’ll die if you don’t help.”

His voice is soft through the thick door, but I can still make it out.

“I thought someone innocent might be in here,” I say, my voice surprisingly cold. “I’m not going to waste my time on you.”

I turn to leave, but Rio’s muffled voice stops me. “You’ll never make it out alive. This place is too heavily guarded.”

I freeze, wishing I could keep walking. But I realize all at once that I don’t know my way out of this building. I have no idea where to go or how many men are here.

I spin around. “What do you know about this building?”

“Everything. We’ve walked it many times. We can help you out of here, but you have to help us escape.”

I look down at the keys in my hand, and Rio follows my eyes. When he sees the keys, he becomes more desperate. “Please. Please help us. We’ll pledge our allegiance to Viktor. Or you. Whatever you want. Help us.”

He sounds nothing like the cocky don I remember from before, and it becomes apparent how efficiently Fedor has beaten the man down.

“I’ll kill you if you betray me,” I growl, grabbing the key and shoving it in the door. “If you do anything at all that makes me doubt your loyalty, I’ll shoot you in the head. Do you understand?”

He nods vigorously. “Understood. Just let us out.”

I turn the key and it works. The door opens and Rio spins around to help his elderly father to his feet. Mario nods in thanks as they walk out of the room, hands still tied behind their backs.

“Wait.” I grab Mario Mazzeo’s shoulder and turn him around. Ropes are wound around his liver-spotted hands. Too thick to cut through with a key. “We need to untie you.”

“There’s a utility closet just there.” Rio points to a door two down from their cell. “I’ve seen guards go in and out for supplies.

I ready my gun to take out anyone who may be inside and then throw the door open. The room is empty, so I step in and flip the light switch, and then say a silent prayer of thanks.

The room is not just a utility closet. It is a weapons room. Guns and bullets and knives line the shelves. I grab another gun, check to see it is loaded, and shove it in the waistband of my jeans. Then, I stash one knife in my back pocket and grab a second before walking into the hallway to free the two men. Then, I point them towards the room.

“There are weapons in there. Arm yourselves and then we move.”

Mario and Rio are both comfortable with weapons, and they come out armed with handguns, semiautomatic rifles, and plenty of magazines. Mario looks like he is bowing under the weight, but I don’t have time to worry about him. I freed him from the cell and gave him a weapon; that is my good deed for the day.

“I can’t believe they’d leave all of these in an unlocked room,” Rio says, admiring the gun around his chest.

“I can,” I say, rolling my eyes. “Fedor is a cocky son of a bitch. He would never imagine we could escape.”

I’m hoping Fedor’s cockiness will continue to play to my advantage. He never imagined I would fight back. He never imagined I would be able to overpower one of his guards and free his other prisoners. So, I plan to continue bucking his expectations. I will surprise him until Viktor is safe, and together, we bring Fedor to his knees.

“Help me escape, and your betrayal will be forgiven,” I say, leading the two men down the hallway towards a stairwell.

“By whose authority?” Rio asks. “Are you sure Viktor feels the same way?”

I stop him at the doorway, one arm blocking their path forward. Before we move any further, I need them to understand who they are protecting. “It doesn’t matter how Viktor feels. I’m his wife, and I am promising you immunity if you get me out of here alive. Don’t worry about Viktor, worry about me.”

Rio’s eyes narrow for a moment, and then he and his father both nod in understanding.

“Good.” I lower my arm and let them pass in front of me. “Now, get me out of here so I can save my husband.”

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