Page 87 of Cruel Russian Monster
In one swift motion, I knocked out the man closest to me and grabbed the gun from his hand before he slumped to the ground. I aimed it at the guy across from me and pulled the trigger.
Shit.
Nothing happened.
“Get Vera!” Zahkar yelled. “We swapped their weapons out. Locked the firing systems for five minutes, technology’s a bitch.”
I lunged toward Vera, but two arms yanked me back. I fought against them as Artyom bent over to pick her up.
“Artyom, leave Vera alone.”
Lev’s voice cut through the chaos like a damn blade. The arms holding me let go instantly.
I turned. Lev and Avit were standing there, guns trained on Artyom.
Behind them, Marten and Pyotr were already moving, helping Yegor and Zahkar take out the rest of the guards like clockwork.
Artyom's face twisted in rage, but he raised his hands and stepped back. He didn’t even look at Lev or Avit; he glared straight at his brothers.
I knew that Yegor and Zahkar were taking a huge risk defying Artyom like this in front of his men, but I'd thank them later. First, I had to take care of my wife.
I rushed to Vera, dropped to my knees, and scooped her into my arms. Her breathing was shallow, and her skin was clammy.
My gut twisted as I headed straight for the front gate, which was now wide open. As soon as my feet hit the street, I froze for a second.
To my surprise, Tomas was standing there, gun in hand, next to the car.
Thank fucking Christ!
He threw open the back door. I slid in with Vera, and he slammed it shut.
Then he jumped into the front seat, gunned the engine, and we sped off.
I glanced back just in time to see my brothers charging out of Artyom’s compound, heading for their cars.
I turned my attention to the woman in my arms. The woman I wanted more than anything in this life.
“Head to our nearest clinic.” I didn’t even recognize my own voice.
“Yes, sir.”
I closed my eyes as I cradled Vera tighter. Just when I thought my world was starting to make sense, just when Ithought I could live some semblance of a normal life, my world caved in.
“Hold on, malishka,” I whispered in her ear.
After what felt like an eternity, Tomas screeched to a halt at the clinic entrance. He jumped out and ran inside. Seconds later, he burst back out, followed by a nurse with a gurney. He opened my door, and I carefully stepped out with Vera. We secured her to the bed and bolted into the clinic.
I entered the private room after the nurse, while Tomas waited outside the closed door. Two orderlies, who were waiting in the room, transferred Vera to the bed, then exited the room with the gurney.
While the nurse began checking Vera's vitals, a female doctor with silver hair walked into the room.
“Mr. Safin, my name is Dr. Decker. Can you tell me what happened?” she asked as she pressed her stethoscope to Vera's chest.
“She just collapsed,” I said, breathless.
The nurse attached Vera to a blood pressure monitor and started fitting her for an IV.
“Any symptoms before this?” Dr. Decker asked.
