Page 35 of Marrying the Underboss

I nod my head up and down and watch as one of the other guys checks the peephole. He looks back at Jacob and says something to him in Russian.

Jacob responds, but I also don’t understand him when he answers him in Russian.

The guy who checked the door unlocks and opens it as the other guy aims his gun at the entrance.

I’m not surprised to see my dad and Kane standing there. A sense of relief washes over me until I realize what this means. If they’re here, I don’t have time to come up with a plan. Kane’s eyes are on me from the moment the door opens. His expression becomes darker the more he gets a look at me.

Kane and Dad step inside, and the two guys close the door and pat them down, most likely checking for weapons. When the guys finish and come up empty-handed, they look at Jacob and tell him. Or at least I think that’s what they say to him in Russian.

Jacob pushes me forward, gun still pointed at my head. “I didn’t think you two would be stupid enough to come for her, and with no weapons?” He laughs. “This stupid cow isn’t worth your lives.”

“A deal’s a deal. We’re here, now let Jennifer go,” My dad tells Jacob.

“You know, I learned a lot from you Mr. P.”

“Let her go, Jacob.” My dad says in a tone most wouldn’t question.

“It’s Andrey,” He spits. “My name is Andrey Volkov and you killed my father,” He says, holding up the gun and pointing it at my dad.

Dad holds his hands up. “Okay, Andrey. I understand what happened between your father and me makes you upset. Trust me, I was upset when your uncle ordered that my wife be killed in retaliation for me trying to get his crew out of Jersey. But you have to understand–”

“You understand nothing!” He shouts emotionally. “You took everything away from me! My mother died of a drug overdose when I was a baby. Stupid whore. My father was all I had.”

“That’s right. It was all me. Let her go and you can get the revenge you want so badly,” Dad says, walking toward Andrey.

Andrey shakes his head. “No. I don’t think I will.”

“We had a deal, Andrey,” Kane says in an even tone I don’t expect from him.

“The deal is off,” He yells, shoving the gun back up against my head, digging it in painfully.

Andrey begins yelling in Russian, saying things none of us understand besides the two guys on my dad and Kane. I’m watching them across the room, and they look like they’re getting pissed at Andrey for fucking up the plan.

All of a sudden there are noises coming from the ceiling. Everyone stops and looks up. What the hell?

One of the ceiling vents falls to the floor and the next thing I know, the two guys across from me have bullet holes in their foreheads. Not knowing what to do, I elbow Andrey in the stomach and then fall to the ground and crawl backward between his legs to get out of the way in case someone aims forhim too. Two more shots ring out, and Andrey grunts in pain as he collapses to the ground.

I peek around the corner and see Kane and Dad walking toward Andrey. Is he dead?

Dad kicks the gun away from Andrey, just in case, and Kane kicks Andrey in the face. Blood sprays out of his mouth. He kicks him over and over again, all over his body. If he weren’t dead before, he will be once Kane has gotten his pound of flesh. His eyes are dark and I don’t recognize this man. This isthe monster.

Eventually, Dad grips Kane’s shoulder and says something to him quietly. Kane freezes and his eyes find mine, the destruction that was there a moment ago is gone. In its place is concern.

“Angel,” Kane murmurs, walking over and picking me up from the ground. “Are you okay?” He asks, pushing some hair behind my ear and searching my face.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” I say, holding him as tightly as possible.

“We have to get out of here, but we’ll talk when we get home, okay?” He tells me.

I nod. Then watch men I’ve never seen before walk into the room with a cart and cleaning supplies. What the hell?

“Can you walk?” Kane asks.

“Yeah.”

He sets me down in the hall and gets a good look at me. “Fuck, hold on.” He removes his white button-up shirt and wraps it around my shoulders, helping me get my arms through. Once I have it on, he buttons the first couple of buttons. “There, that should do for now,” He says. I’d forgotten my shirt had been cut open, and my bra was exposed.

“We need to move,” Dad says.

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