Page 46 of Hunted By the Bratva
They whispered to each other and then headed down the hallway. I listened to their footsteps until I couldn’t hear them anymore. I heard a door opening and closing. I wondered if that was them entering the kitchen.
I didn’t have time to wait and find out. Jumping up, I started for the door I knew led outside. I was about halfway across the floor when the door started opening. No, this can’t happen. I turned and headed for the rows of crates. I didn’t have time to get back to my chair and sit down.
Hiding was my only option now. As I moved down the row of crates stacked on shelves, I saw another door. Moving slowly, I went closer and opened it. It was another room. This one is filled with large crates. Some were stacked in rows, but further on were others just standing around in the middle of the floor.
I could see another door on the other side. I hoped this was an exit that wasn’t being used or monitored. My heart racedin my chest, and my throat now felt dry as a desert. I moved between the stacks of crates, then froze as I heard voices up ahead.
Hopefully, they haven’t noticed I was gone yet. Peeking around one of the crates, I saw five more men standing between me and the door. To one side of me were shelves, and to the other side were crates. Before me was an open area where the men stood.
I jumped and then quickly slid in under the shelves as I heard someone talking behind me. The man lowered himself as he spoke again. “You must come with me. If they find you now, they will kill you.”
It was one of the men I had asked for water, as he still held the cup. For some reason, I felt bad for him as he didn’t belong. But I wasn’t about to give up my freedom. Before I could speak or move, I heard a great crackling sound and then a low thud.
Glancing towards the door, I saw the light flood in along with Iosif and his men. Relief washed over me at the sight of them, but then I bit my tongue as I saw my brother’s men also entering.
Shots rang through the air, and men screamed left and right. More men entered from behind me as the firefight continued. The man who had brought me the water fled. He ran back through the door to where I was being held.
There were men down on both sides, and the air smelled sweet but smoky. I smiled as Iosif and his men progressed with precision. It was amazing to see him and my brother in this light. The shooting subsided as the kidnappers and their men started fleeing.
Iosif’s voice rang through the room as he called out to his men. “After them, don’t let them get away. They cannot escape!”
“Yes, sir,” the men replied in unison as they moved across the floor. My brother’s men also followed the pursuit. Moving out from under the shelf, I moved into the open. Iosif’s face lit up as he saw me.
I could see from his expression that he was excited to see me. He hurried towards me. As he was about to reach me, I saw my brother coming in from the other side. I was happy to see he was also here, and they were working together. That was until I noticed the gun in my brother’s hand.
He was coming up behind Iosif with force. He was pointing the gun straight at him. Fear shuddered my insides as Kolya came closer to Iosif. Then, the realization hit me like a speeding bullet.
My brother was about to kill the man I love. Instinct took over as I heard the cracking noise fill the air. I pulled Iosif toward me and moved in between the two men.
A warm, fiery sensation shot through me as the bullet hit my shoulder. I cried out in pain. There was a second cracking sound on top of the first. This bullet grazed my neck as I swung around from the impact of the first one.
It wasn’t a life-threatening wound. But it burned like hell, and I was bleeding profusely. The pain shooting through my arm and shoulder, as well as my chest, was clouding my mind. I felt dizzy as my world started swerving in and out.
I noticed Iosif tense up, but he wasn’t moving as I sank to the floor. My brother knelt beside me. I could see the horror in his eyes. “No, why, I’m sorry!” he screamed as he removed his jacket and pressed it to my shoulder. I wanted to tell him I wasokay, but my head pounded so hard, I couldn’t speak. I needed to get up, I told myself. I had to sort this mess out.
Turning my head, I tried to focus on Iosif. I had to see him. But before I could form another thought, the world went dark.
Chapter 25 - Iosif
My head felt like it was going to explode. The only thing rushing through it was the sound of the gunshot and Clara going down. I stood frozen, watching as she turned her head towards me.
I was staring at the pool of blood accumulating around her. It was pumping out of the wound like a gushing volcano, and I stood there numb. Unable to move or speak. My body was cold as ice.
Kolya moved in, kneeling next to her. I felt my rage, shocking my existence into gear. All I could think of was punching his lights out. I wanted nothing more than to inflict so much pain on him that he begged for his life. Yet, I couldn’t. The world suddenly blurred before me.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Brother, brother, snap out of it,” I heard Avgust huffing.
Shaking my head, I focused on Kolya on the floor next to Clara. He had removed his jacket and was holding it to her shoulder. “Please, help,” he said with tears in his eyes.
“Bring the car around,” I ordered Avgust as I bent down and picked her up into my arms.
Kolya didn’t argue or fight me in any way. He moved with me to the car and assisted me to get in the back seat. He jumped into the front with Avgust. I sat on the back seat, clutching her in my arms as we raced to the hospital.
I wasn’t taking a chance with her life. I would face whatever consequences came my way. Everything was still a blur. I didn’t know how much time had passed and only vaguely remembered getting in the car.
Avgust was on the phone; he was talking to someone. I could hear the distress in his tone. Yet, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. I felt the car come to a halt. Looking out the window, I noticed we had arrived at the hospital.
Clara’s side door opened, and there was a good friend of ours waiting to save her life. I watched helplessly as the nurses dragged her from the car, placed her on a bed, and started wheeling her into the hospital.
