Page 123 of Between Us

“Downstairs,” she said, starting to walk out.

Alek begrudgingly exited the room after his sister,and Alessandra followed after putting on her shoes, her bag in tow. Halfway down the stairs, Alek grabbed the bag from Alessandra, swinging it over his shoulder easily. They passed the kitchen on the way to the study, where Roman and Andrei were talking in low voices at the island, heads bent over what looked like the plan of a building.

Alessandra half-expected her husband to look up and demand why they were stalling. But neither man noticed them, to wrapped up in whatever they were discussing. The front door opened, Vladik and another man coming inside the house, their faces set into grim lines.

Deciding not to linger and attract attention to herself, she hurried down the hall after Alek. They found Tatyana already digging through Roman's cabinet where he kept all the liquor.

“Straight for the hard stuff, huh?” Alessandra said with some humor when Tatyana pulled out a bottle of vodka and poured a finger into a tumbler.

“I feel like I'm going to need it. Want some?”

“No, thanks.”

Alek sighed heavily, letting his sister know his patience was running thin. Tatyana rolled her eyes, taking a sip and scrunching up her face when the potent alcohol hit her throat.

They stood in silence for a couple of minutes, with Alessandra leaning against the desk and Tatyana nursing her drink thoughtfully. It would have been a peaceful night, were it not for the rush of the operation unfolding all over the ground floor of the house. Outside, the night sky looked tenebrous, announcing the heavy storm laying somewhere past the horizonline. From time to time, flashes of lightning forked the dark sky, illuminating the white ash trees on the east side of the property.

Alek checked his watch and frowned. “We need to get going before—”

He was cut off by the sound of shouting coming from somewhere inside the house. It sounded far-away, as if it came from someone standing on the top floor, maybe even in one of the bedrooms. The words were too rushed for understanding.

The three of them stared at the open door in confusion. But soon enough that confusion turned to panic as more shouting followed, this time coming from the direction of the foyer, and it sounded like Roman issuing some sort of order. Alek immediately set into motion. Reaching behind his back, he took out his gun and closed the office door, locking them inside.

Alessandra's heart began pounding furiously as she watched him back away from the locked door, gun aimed toward it.

“Move back,” he ordered, voice hard and eyes set on the door.

“What's going on?” Tatyana whispered, setting her unfinished drink on the desk with a trembling hand. “Alek…”

“Quiet, Anya.” He gestured with his hand they should move farther away from the door.

When the first gunshot rang, both girls froze in their spots. It was muffled, as if suppressed by a silencer, but it was unmistakably the sound of a firearm being shot. Another one followed seconds later, and then many others in rapid succession.

“Roman,” Alessandra breathed, her feet carrying herto the door instinctively. She didn’t know what she was doing, just that she needed to get to him.

A strong arm caught her by the waist, stopping her.

“Let me go.” She was barely able to get the words out, her knees weak and her chest feeling like it was going to explode from the force of her heartbeats.

“Open the window,” Alek said to his sister over his shoulder. The shooting was accompanied by more shouting as mayhem broke out inside the house.

Alessandra struggled against the hold. “Oh, God.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Roman!”

“Open the goddamn window, Anya!”

At her brother’s raised voice, Tatyana nearly jumped out of her skin, though she hurried to the windows and opened one with such force, it swung violently, escaping her grasp and hitting the wall. If it weren’t for the loud commotion already unfolding outside the study door, such mistake could have cost them their lives.

Alek cursed and dragged a struggling Alessandra with him by the wrist as he leaned over the windowsill to look outside. Being so close to him, Alessandra could make out movement on the front lawn, and knew he had to make a difficult decision. Either stay and risk getting cornered, or flee the place and risk being caught in the crossfire.

Alessandra glanced at the door again, her vision narrowing at the edges. She couldn’t run. Not without her husband.

Alek considered his options for a moment longer. Since the study was situated at the back of the house, and the backyard looked quiet, the right decision seemed obvious.

“Out,” he said, jerking his head toward the open window. “Now.”

Tatyana obeyed without protest, swinging her legs over the windowsill and looking both ways before dropping down on the lawn below. Once she was out, Alek pushed Alessandra forward. “Go. Hurry.”

She shook her head, hot tears running down her cheeks. “I can’t leave him.”

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