Page 131 of Velvet Chains
“You think you’ve won, Vitya?” he sneers, pressing the barrel harder against Laura’s temple. She flinches, a small, choked sound escaping her bloodied lips. “You think you can just waltz in here and take what’s mine?”
“Nothing is yours,” I snarl, my finger twitching on the trigger. “You stole everything, these women, their lives, their fucking souls. You’re nothing but a vor, a thief and a monster.”
Ivan’s eyes flash, his grip on Laura tightening as he takes a step back, scanning the room like a cornered rat. “Put the fucking gun down, Vitya,” he orders, his voice high and manic. “Or I’ll send your precious shlyukha straight to hell!”
Blyad. I can’t risk it, can’t watch him paint the walls with her blood. Slowly, I lower my gun to the floor, my teeth grinding so hard my jaw aches.
Ivan’s laugh is a hyena’s cackle. “Not so tough now, eh?” He swings the gun toward me, the barrel a black hole ready to swallow me whole.
Laura sobs, straining against his grip, begging.“No. No, please.”
Ivan sneers, his finger curling around the trigger. “Say do svidaniya, you svoloch. I’ll send your woman to meet you in a minute.”
“Only one saying do svidaniya here is you, mudak.” Ksenia’s voice cracks through the air like a whip, hard as steel. “Ready to reap what you’ve sown, Ivan?”
Ksenia steps from the shadows, a gun in each hand, her hair cascading down her back. She’s a vision of deadly beauty, my avenging angel in black leather.
Ivan’s eyes widen, something like hunger flickering in their depths. “Ksenia,” he murmurs, his grip on Laura slackening just a fraction. “You look as lovely as ever, myshka. Like a blade forged in the fires of hell, da?”
Ksenia smiles, a knife-slash in the gloom. “And you, Ivan, are still the same pathetic shlyukha I remember. Did you really think you could cross my family and live?” She takes a step forward, her guns never wavering. “Papa should have put you down years ago, like the rabid dog you are.”
Ivan’s face contorts with rage, ugly and twisted. “Your fucking papa is the reason we aren’t together!” he roars. “He’s the one who made you marry that mudak Dimitry! But look at him now, eh? Rotting in the ground like the worthless sack of shit he—”
A flash of movement catches my eye. Eli, darting forward, her small face set in determination.
Nyet, malyshka, don’t!
But it’s too late. She sinks her teeth into Ivan’s leg, biting down like a feral wolf pup.
Ivan howls, his gun swinging wildly as he kicks out at Eli. Laura seizes the moment, driving her elbow into his gut and wrenching free of his grasp.
But Ivan is quick, too quick.
His gun snaps up, aiming straight at Eli’s heart. Time slows, each heartbeat an eternity. I lunge forward, desperate. Ksenia blurs past me, a she-devil in motion.
The crack of a gunshot shatters the air.
I tackle Ivan down, but he’s already choking on his own blood, Ksenia’s knife buried in his neck.
“Eli! Malyshka!” Ksenia screams. My heart stops dead.
But Eli’s okay, safe in Laura’s arms. Laura slumps back, blood soaking her shoulder.
The bullet.
Blyad. She took a bullet for Eli!
“Laura, no!” I’m there in a second, pressing on the wound. She gives me a tight smile. “Doc!” I roar, my voice raw with fear. “Get the fuck over here, now!”
Doc sprints over, his face grim as he takes in the scene. Laura’s blood is hot and slick under my hands, her face pale as bone.
“Tetya Laura, please!” Eli sobs, clinging to Laura’s limp hand. Brave little malyshka, trying so hard not to fall apart.
“I’ve got her,” Doc says, pushing me aside to examine the wound. “Bullet’s still in there. We need to move her. Now.”
I scoop Laura into my arms, cradling her against my chest. She feels so light, so fragile. “Derzhi’s, lyubov moya,” I whisper into her hair. “Hold on. I’ve got you.”
Ksenia is at Eli’s side, holding her close. There’s something in her eyes I’ve never seen before as she looks at Laura. Something like respect. Gratitude.
