Page 22 of Plus-Size Bratva Bride

“Fucking dickhead,” his friend snarls.

“Well get her the fuck under control,” the other man snaps.

Someone grabs a handful of my hair and another punches me in the stomach. The air is knocked clean out of me and I can’t seem to take a new breath in. I can’t breathe. Panic surges when I realize they are going to take me. There are too many of them to fight.

Arkady, what did you do?

I try to scream again, but all that comes out is the weak mewling sound of a kitten. I still can’t breathe.

They are almost at the van parked just around the corner, as I suspected. My heart is sinking lower and lower.

Out of nowhere, Radmir flies into view, sweeping one of the men off his feet with a solid punch to his jaw. The man slumps to the ground, motionless. Two of the others let go of me and start attacking Radmir.

“Rad—“ I scream, my voice a little stronger now.

What the fuck is he doing here? How did he know I was here?

But I have never been happier to see someone I consider an enemy in my entire life.

Radmir fights hard against the other two men while the first lies unconscious on the floor and the fourth grips me tightly by the throat.

“A knife!” I scream as a silver glint catches the light.

I’m too late.

The knife plunges into Radmir’s side and he lets out a gargled yelp of pain. But he doesn’t stop fighting. He reaches for his own knife, tucked against his leg and in one swift movement he shoves the blade through one of the men’s throats. Side to side—a clean strike. He yanks the knife out and the man drops to the floor, spitting up blood and clawing at his throat.

The other man goes flying at Radmir, swearing and spitting and hissing threats. But he goes down just as fast. Radmir swings the blade and it pierces downward, into the nape of the guy's neck. He stands completely stunned for a second, his eyes wide as though he can’t believe what just happened.

Then he drops to his knees and Radmir yanks the knife out of him.

“Fuck this,” I hear the man behind me mutter. He releases me and starts to run for his life. I don’t blame him. Radmir looks like the devil himself. His eyes are pitch black. His lips curved in a wild snarl. He runs towards me.

“Jade,” he says, his deep voice is rough at the edges.

“You got stabbed!” I shout in panic. Genuine panic, because for the first time, I am paying proper attention to the blood gushing from his side.

“It’s—it’s—“ he swoons.

I quickly wrap my arm around his waist and pull him towards the Lexus. His eyes roll back in his head for a moment, but he stays upright. Thank fuck because if he falls to the ground there is no chance I’ll manage to pick him up.

“Stay with me, Rad,” I beg him, as he leans most of his weight onto me and I stagger towards the car.

One blink. It unlocks. I fumble with the door, tugging it open and pushing him so that he falls unceremoniously onto the passenger seat. I wince when he lands harder than I had hoped. “Sorry,” I mumbled, helping him lift his legs into the car.

Running around, I climb into the driver’s side. I have to get him to a safe house where I can get his wound attended to. But if I take him to one of my safehouses, he’ll know I was lying this whole time.

Not taking him to a safe house is risking his life and—

I just can’t do it. I can’t watch him die.

My heart clenches tightly.

“Rad?” I say loudly. Panic growing.

“Jade,” he mumbles.

Oh thank fuck, he’s still conscious.

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