Page 134 of Between Us

Davit saw the fear in them and felt nothing.

As soon as he was within reaching distance, he grabbed the boy by the collar of his sweater and jerked him forward.

Davit’s lips pulled into a sinister grin.

Life had given him one last chance, and he was going to use it to teach Roman a lesson.

48

Roman gazed into the innocent eyes of the little boy in front of him, and the resentment he felt almost suffocated the breath right out of his lungs.

How could any father use his own flesh and blood like a human shield against what he was long overdue?

He'd always known Davit was cruel and vindictive, but this... it was just too much even for him.

“It's good of you to visit, Roman,” the man in question mocked from behind the child he held in front of him with one arm. The other was extended in Roman's direction, the barrel of a small gun pointed directly at his head.

“You fucking coward,” Roman spat, his anger nearly setting him into motion. He had to hold himself back for the sake of the child spilling hot tears over his old man's spinelessness. “Does this make you feel powerful—using your own kid like that?”

The Armenian's gaze darkened at being accusedof cowardice. “You’d better watch how you speak to me,boy. Didn't your father teach you anything? If you give your enemies the opportunity, they will make you suffer for the rest of your days. Consider this your most important lesson.”

“Let him go. Face me like a fucking man.”

“A man?” he sneered. “What doyouknow about being a man?” His lips twisted into an unpleasant smile. “As soon as your men see that you've failed them once again, they will never accept you as their leader. And we both know what that means.”

Roman had to grind his teeth and lock his knees into place to keep still. His finger twitched on the trigger.

“You either let us leave, or you can shoot both of us. It's your choice.”

“Roman.” Stepan put a hand on his shoulder from behind, keeping his voice low. “Getting you worked up is what he wants. Don't give him the satisfaction.”

His friend was right. Of course, he was.

Knowing that didn't make it any easier to handle with a clear head.

Rolling his shoulders to ease some tension, Roman lowered his gun and turned to face Stepan. Behind him, a deriding snort was the only clue that Davit mistook his gesture for defeat. There were two other men in the office, so Roman wasn't worried Davit would try anything while his back was turned to him.

“Get someone outside,” Roman said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper. “We need a distraction.”

Stepan gave a small nod, and Roman could read the approval in his eyes. They were on the same page. Without another word, he left the office to do as instructed.

“Where the fuck is he going?” Davit demanded.

“None of your goddamn business,” Roman told him sharply, turning to give him a disgusted look.

“If he tries anything, Roman...”

“You look scared, Davit. Don't worry, you'll be the first to find out if he does something.”

Coming here, Roman hadn’t expected this particular complication. Even so, he had done his homework. A paranoid man such as Davit was sure to have padded his lair with the best security one could afford. A few hours of work revealed the extent of those security details. Apart from the heavily armed guards outside that were already dead, the house was equipped with an alarm system, a hidden underground escape and bulletproof windows.

The only thing left standing between Roman and the bullet he planned to put into Davit’s skull were those bulletproof windows. But for that, he’d already formed a plan in his mind, and Stepan was on his way to execute it. They just needed enough of a distraction outside so they could act from the inside and not get the kid hurt in the process.

“Don't test me,” Davit threatened, though Roman could already see the alarm clouding his narrowed eyes.

“All your trusted men are dead, and soon enough, you will be too.” Roman kept his gun to his side, although his hand was tense, ready to move at any moment. “My father underestimated you, and we can all see where that got him. I don't plan on repeating his mistakes.”

“You think getting cozy with the Italians is a good idea?” Davit’s eyes slid over to Matteo standing in a corner, and his lips turned down as if he tastedsomething bad. “They claim to live by their code of honor, but they are all a bunch of self-serving brutes.”

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