Chapter Forty-Four
Isabella
Tristan jumps from the balcony and lands, breaking into a run with his guns ready. That should be enough to deter Dmitri but it’s not because he wants me dead.
It should also deter him when he sees Massimo and Dominic firing shots his way from above, but it’s not. Neither is the bullet Tristan fires at him.
Hellbent on burning me alive Dmitri only rolls out of the way and I scream again as he manages to light one of the logs. It sets ablaze in an instant and lights up the next one.
I’m covered from head to toe in gasoline. Very soon I too will be on fire. I’ll burn to death taking with me the tiny human inside me. Only a few weeks old. Dmitri really was as evil as my father.
“Get the fuck away from her!” Tristan roars bounding forward like a wild beast.
I still can’t believe he came. He came after all, came for me.
Several bullets fly and I don’t know where they’re all coming from. the fire starts to spread and I can already feel the hot flames.
“Shame I never got to fuck you,” Dmitri taunts, always and ever the asshole, even when faced with oncoming danger.
He evades another one of Tristan’s bullets. Tristan is right here now. still far away from me but here.
Dmitri and Tristan meet together in a collision of fists. Both drop their guns from the blow of crashing together. Then all I see is them on the ground rolling around punching each other.
The fire is blazing now, spreading around me. I can barely see them. I look on in hope that I’ll still make it. Hope that Tristan will save me. the fire is so hot though and it hasn’t even touched me yet. I can imagine it consuming me when it does. I might not even feel the pain, and if I do I don’t think it will be for long.
Dmitri rolls on top of Tristan getting ready to send another round of punches his way but Tristan lunches him over his head and he goes flying.
I’m surprised at the way Tristan fights. As my father’s right hand man Dmitri is skilled in all manner of combat and fighting techniques. So I’m not surprised when he springs back to his feet, whipping around in a kick that sends Tristan back to the ground as he gets up. Tristan however flicks out his leg and swipes Dmitri off his feet. I can tell straightaway that when Tristan fights it’s not just with his fists. It’s with his tact too.
Dmitri lands hard on his back and winds himself. He blows out a breath and that’s all he gets to do. Tristan grabs his gun from the ground and shoots Dmitri in his chest. Another bullet goes to the same place and he drops back but he’s not dead yet.
“Talking about fucking my girl? No, I don’t think so,” Tristan says and fires one more bullet. that goes straight in Dmitri’s head.
The fire is a wall now and my head drops back on to the bed. I stop pushing against the restraints and lie there.
I see Tristan trying to stop the fire.
Dominic comes with an extinguisher and starts spraying it over the flames. Massimo does the same.
Tristan comes to me using his jacket to put out the flames that has started to burn the bed. I never even realized that.
He gets them out and frees me from the restraint.
I try to reach for him but I’m so weak.
He scoops me up and holds me to his chest as the tears come hard.
“You came, thank you so much,” I whisper against his chest. “You’re here.”
“Of course. I love you,” he answers and the magic in his words fill me with life.
“I love you too,” I tell him and finally I allow myself to savor the feel of him. Savor that feeling of him being mine.
* * *
I had to spend the night in the hospital for observation.
Tristan stayed with me. I was severely dehydrated so I had some IV drips.