Made in Vengeance

“Pack your shit and leave right now,” I told him. We should have been notified. Things could have been different.

We would have been in time, and Catalina wouldn’t have suffered.

I closed my eyes, but all I saw was the blood that covered the sheets on Nikolay’s bed.

I walked out of there without saying anything more before I lost control completely and went on a murdering rampage.

Maxim texted me, saying he was on his way up.

He had the bombs.

Now, all we needed was a location.

* * *

We weresilent on the car ride over, with Maxim driving us.

We decided the fewer people that went with us, the better our chances of getting Catalina out of this alive and unharmed.

I looked out the window, trying to ignore the pain in my leg and on the inside of my bicep.

If Luca thought I was just going to willingly get in the car with him, he had another thing coming.

Nikolay and Mikhail watched me.

I could feel their eyes on me.

“Should things go south, and I don’t make it,” I said to the solemn car. “Mikhail will take over the brotherhood and Nikolay will be Sovietnik, and Maxim will take on the role of enforcer for the Bratva.”

The man in question looked at me through the rearview mirror, his usually cold eyes red.

I could see his grip tightening around the steering wheel.

Usually silent, yet he was always there. Always loyal.

“Shut up,” Nikolay said. “Okay. Just shut up. You’re going to fucking come back to us. We’re going to find you, should Luca be able to get away with you. Do you understand? So you’re going to fight to stay alive, for us, and for Catalina, or I’m going to be pissed.”

I smiled and closed my eyes.

If only I could get the chance to spend even five minutes alone with Catalina. I would tell her all the things I couldn’t say before.

I would hold her close, reveling in her scent, in the feel of her warm, solid body against mine, the strong pounding of her heartbeat.

I would cherish every single fucking moment.

The car pulled to a stop. Nikolay and Mikhail looked at me, torn.

I knew they wanted Catalina back and safe, but they didn’t want me to leave this car.

“Go,” I said.

Nikolay hesitated before he silently got out of the car first, followed by Mikhail, and then me.

Catalina, Luca, and Leo were standing in front of us, next to a running car.

Catalina had her hands tied behind her back, and around her was a black vest.

A fucking bomb.