Page 22 of Cruel Russian Monster
“You did hear them call for help, right?” he ground out. “Like fuck I’m leaving you here. If they're calling for backup, they know what you look like. And they sure as hell know that I'm here with you…withoutbackup.”
“You don’t have to leave me here,” I said stubbornly. “I came in a car. I can get away from them just fine.”
He stepped closer, sweat dripping from his brow. “You aremy wife. You will be leaving here with me. If they get their hands on you, they'll kill you…or worse…” his voice trailed off. He closed his eyes briefly before glaring at me again.
He breathed in quick, shallow breaths.
Why was he breathing like…
That’s when I saw it. The blood was soaking through his shirt, below his jacket.
I stepped back and opened his jacket. His blood was rapidly seeping into his shirt.
I glanced up at him, at his shirt, then back at him once more. “Shit…you're bleeding.”
“Vera,” he said, voice softer now. “We need to go. I don't want them to…I can't…”
He swayed, then forced himself to stiffen. That’s when I knew he was worse off than he let on.
He'd never let anyone see how injured he was, so they could use it to their advantage. It was ingrained in Bratva men tobattle without showing weakness, and Jaroslav was no different. Not in the position he held in his faction.
But he had shown weakness. His body was betraying him. His breathing. The sweat. The blood. His sway.
And I sure as hell was ready to make the most of it.
I stepped back again. With how much blood he was losing, he didn't have the strength to drag me anywhere.
But before I could tell him off and run to the car, two SUVs rolled into the parking lot.
“Shit,” Jaroslav hissed.
He moved fast, faster than I thought he could in his injured state, and yanked me behind a row of cars. My stolen car sat two spots away.
His hand trembled on my arm, but his eyes never left the scene.
Eight men spilled out of the SUVs, weapons in hand, checking the bodies he had dropped just a few minutes ago.
One of them shouted, “Check this damn parking lot! Find that Safin bastard and that bitch now!”
Jaroslav leaned hard against the car, gripping his side.
Could I really leave him here to be caught…or killed?
I already knew the answer.
Shit.
“Let’s go,” I said.
I grabbed his arm and pointed at the car.
“I'm parked right over there.”
We moved as fast as we could. I got him into the back seat.
“Stay low,” I whispered, shutting the door.
I slid behind the wheel, started the engine, and eased out. Luckily, the way I had parked gave me a clean line to the second exit, avoiding the men hunting the injured man in the back seat.
