Page 170 of Bratva's Vow
It gutted me.
Behind me, the rumble of boots on concrete signaled Nik and Jess arriving from the service corridor, both suited up and ready for the flight.
They had brought Jellybean along with them so I could bring him home. “Thanks for going with him. If he wakes up and I’m not with him…”
“Don’t worry. We’ll stall.” Jess’s eyes were shiny but determined. “We’re never leaving him alone.”
Nik walked past me to stand by the gurney. He looked down at Wren for a long moment, then turned to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll guard him with my life,” he said simply. “On my honor.”
I gripped the back of his neck, squeezing. “I’m trusting you with him. Don’t let me down.”
“I won’t.”
And then they were loading him in.
From a distance, I watched the cabin doors close over Wren’s still body, sealing him away in metal and noise. Jess climbed in after, followed by Nik, who took the seat closest to the stretcher. The doors slammed shut, the rotor picked up speed, and the bird lifted off, taking the person I loved most into the sky.
Jellybean howled, a broken sound. Each yelp tore throughskin and bone and bled into my heart. He was able to express himself the way I wanted to but couldn’t, and it was comforting.
I stayed behind because I had work to finish.
Hopefully, before Wren woke up and found out I’d broken my promise to him. But I had to. I needed to bury Archie for good.
The moment the chopper disappeared, I turned to the others. It was almost five thirty in the morning. Sergei stood like a stone at my right. Leo shifted anxiously beside him. Viktor was there too, tall and unreadable, with Dezi beside him, leather gloves tucked into his waistband, eyes glittering beneath the brim of his cap.
Leo cleared his throat. “I could’ve gone with them,” he said quietly, his gaze following the helicopter.
I shook my head. “A doctor’s already with them.” Plus, I still didn’t completely trust him. “Your place is here. If this plan is going to work, we need you to play your part.”
He pressed his lips together, nervous. “And this plan of yours. Are you sure he’ll fall for it?”
I couldn’t be sure of anything, but I needed Archie to be the one to come to me, not the other way around. If I went to him, he would suspect that I knew he was responsible.
“I’ll send a message out that Wren… didn’t make it.” The very thought had my throat closing up. I hated this plan, but it was the only way Archie would relax enough to let his guard down.
“Archie will call you, Leo, to confirm,” I said. “When he hears it from you, he’ll come straight to me.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Leo asked.
“He will.”
“And from there,” Viktor murmured, “you’ll finish it.”
I bobbed my head. “Does everyone know their part?”
The others gave subtle nods. Even Leo, though his hand clutching his phone was trembling.
I turned to Sergei. “Don’t let the doc out of your sight.”
“I won’t,” he said immediately.
Too immediately.
I studied him.
Normally, Sergei would’ve argued. Suggested someone else for the babysitting detail. He’d never liked me walking into a battle zone without him. Darius was still monitoring Archie, and Nik was with Wren. But now? No protest. No pushback. Just quiet obedience.
