Page 24 of Twisted Empire: King's Gambit

I won’t allow another woman to get under my skin, not when there’s still a fucking knife in my back.

MIKHAIL

We step out of the gala hall into the crisp night air, Gabriette’s hand resting lightly on my arm. The vehicle is already waiting for us—a black sedan, inconspicuous yet fortified with all the essential security modifications. Alexei, one of my most trusted men and Gabriette’s guard, sits in the driver’s seat.

“Just get us home, Alexei,” I say, the words coming out a bit sharper than I intended.

No sooner do we pull away from the curb than my instincts kick into high gear. A black SUV pulls out to follow us, and something about its movement sets off every alarm bell in my head.

“Speed up, and take the next right,” I order Alexei, my eyes staying glued to the rearview mirror.

Before Gabriette can ask what’s going on, the deafening sound of gunshots fills the air. Bullets slam into the back of our car, and I instinctively push Gabriette down into the back seat. Then I reach into the concealed compartment between the seats to grab a gun.

“Get down and stay down,” I bark, throwing a glance over my shoulder to make sure she’s out of sight. My eyes meet hers for a split second—wide, terrified, but also trusting. That look sears through me as we speed away from the venue.

Another round of bullets hits the car, and I hear Gabriette gasp, her body trembling beside me.

Alexei swerves sharply, narrowly avoiding an oncoming truck. I roll down the window, lean out, and return fire. I see one of the SUV’s headlights shatter; it swerves but regains control and continues its pursuit.

The city blurs past us like a dizzying mosaic of lights and shadows. We zigzag through narrow lanes, but our pursuers are persistent. I can hear Gabriette’s ragged breathing, sense her terror, but there’s no time for comfort or explanation.

My gaze darts to the rearview mirror. More black SUVs are tailing us, closing the gap with alarming speed. The tires screech in protest, but we manage to put some distance between us and the vehicles behind.

My phone buzzes — a message from my right-hand man, Ivan. Backup’s on the way but still minutes out. Too long.

The shots ring out again, this time nearly shattering the rear window. Splinters of glass rain down into the car. I hear Alexei groan just as his window shatters completely, and I turn my head to see him slump over the wheel.

“Alexei!” I shout as the car swerves. “Fuck!”

As if on cue, the SUVs catch up, pulling alongside us. I can see masked faces and the glint of firearms. A fresh round of gunfire erupts, pinging off the car’s armored sides.

In the midst of the chaos, gunfire, and shattered glass, I observe Gabriette’s narrowed eyes, filled with determination.

“Alexei, move over to the passenger side,” she commands, surprising me with her calm authority as Alexei tries to drive while injured, and a smile tugs at my lips. “I’m taking the wheel.”

“But, Ma’am—” Alexei starts, his words drowned out by the rattle of bullets against the car.

“We don’t have time for arguments, Alexei. Just do it!” she snaps, her tone leaving no room for hesitation. “This window is shattered. They can easily kill either one of us, so fucking move!”

As Alexei complies, shifting to the passenger seat, Gabriette swiftly settles into the driver’s position, her hands gripping the steering wheel with a confidence that doesn’t go unnoticed. Her ability to take charge in the face of danger is as infuriating as it is attractive.

Fuck, this woman and what she does to me.

With a swift, almost instinctual motion, I return fire again. One of the SUVs swerves, temporarily falling back, but the other continues its pursuit, relentless and hell-bent.

The screech of tires signals another sharp turn, this one onto a narrow, less-traveled road. It’s a risky move—the tarmac is riddled with potholes and barely lit, but it’s a calculated gamble to lose our pursuers.

“Nice to see you showing your claws again,Malyshka,” I remark with a chuckle as I reload.

She shoots me a glare in the rearview, her eyes flashing annoyance. “Save the sarcasm for later, Baranov. We need to get out of this mess first.”

“Just keep us alive, woman,” I growl, my fingers gripping the gun tightly as I fire a few shots at our relentless pursuers. “And watch the damn road!”

Gabriette rolls her eyes but doesn’t miss a beat. Her foot presses down on the accelerator, and we shoot forward, narrowly missing a collision with a delivery truck. The city’s neon lights streak past us in a dazzling blur.

Seconds feel like hours. My focus narrows to the road ahead and the rearview mirror, where the headlights of the pursuing vehicles are finally starting to fade. Just as I think we’ve lost them, a bullet whizzes past, barely missing the side mirror.

“They really want you dead, don’t they?” she remarks, her tone more matter-of-fact than scared. “Any idea who these charming gentlemen are?”

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