Page 66 of Immaculate Corruption (Romanoff Bratva)

Gennady yells and another shot rings out. This time, it's from his gun.

Zotov ducks, dragging me down to the floor with him.

The old man shoots at Gennady, who dives behind a table for cover, and then turns and takes aim at Dima.

"This is for Ennio, you piece of shit!” he yells.

Zotov still has his hand on the gun, despite my thrashing. He looks over his shoulder to try and corral the old man. "Giorgio, don't lose your temper. Remember the plan!”

The plan. This was a set-up. They’re working together.

But why? How? I don’t know and I don’t have the time to work it out.

The room is chaos and gunfire. While Zotov is distracted, I manage to bring my knee straight up into his crotch. He groans, doubling over and releasing my gun. Then, before I can even stumble back, he lifts his own weapon and shoots.

I don't feel anything as I scramble for the edge of the room, looking for a table to hide behind. I find somewhere and sink to the floor. My forehead is slicked with sweat, but when I go to wipe it off with my shirtsleeve, I feel something wrong.

There’s a growing dark stain on my forearm. I pull back my sleeve.

That’s when the pain starts.

I’ve been shot.

22

Dima

Arya is hiding behind a table. Gennady and Giorgio are exchanging bullets with each other while Zotov tries to control his man.

This is my chance.

Zotov is distracted, so he doesn’t notice me approaching him from behind. I stalk close enough to make my move, then I leap forward and press the muzzle of my gun against his temple.

“Drop the gun,” I order. “Now.”

“I’ve already warned you,” Zotov says. “If anything happens to me, I have your son.”

“And am I supposed to believe you’re going to give Lukas back if I let you live?” I scoff. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter, Zotov. Drop your gun and call your man off of Gennady. Now.”

Zotov hesitates for a moment and then drops his gun on the floor. “Enough!” His voice breaks. He sounds scared.

Good.

Giorgio stops and turns around. He considers aiming his gun at me, but as soon as he does, Gennady presses his gun to the old man’s back.

“Game is up,” Gennady says, walking Giorgio forward. “Drop your gun, old man.”

Giorgio starts to raise his hands, but at the last second, he places his finger on the trigger and whirls around.

Gennady shoots him before he’s even made it halfway through the turn. The elder D’Onofrio drops to the floor.

Dead before he lands.

Zotov curses. “Fucking sentimental old man.”

He sounds like my father. Like Ilyasov, too. Part of me even thinks he’s right. Sentiment is what gets you killed.

But it also gives you a reason to fight. Right now, that reason is everything. Lukas and Arya are my everything.

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