Page 160 of Stolen Empire
"I did."
I pull away from him, my hands still shaking.
He pulls me against himself, his arms wrapping around me.
I feel his heart pounding against my cheek, his breath hot against my hair.
"Katya," he whispers gruffly.
"I… I killed him…"
"You did what you had to do," he says quietly.
"Okay. It was you or him. And you're alive."
I want to believe him.
But when I close my eyes, all I see is the man falling, the blood spreading across his chest.
I did that.
I ended his life.
One of Dimitri's men calls from the doorway.
"They're retreating. Two cars heading back toward the city."
Dimitri releases me, moving to the window.
I follow, looking out at the yard.
Two cars are speeding away, taillights disappearing down the lane.
But now that they know we're here, I know we're not safe.
"How many did we lose?" Dimitri asks.
"None. Two injuries, but they'll survive."
Dimitri nods, his jaw tight.
"Secure the perimeter. I want eyes on every approach. If they come back, I want to know before they get within a kilometer of this place."
The man nods and disappears.
Dimitri turns back to me with a dark expression.
"We need to get you out of here. This safehouse is compromised. We need to move."
"Where?" I ask, letting him pull me down the hallway.
I avoid the broken glass as we walk to the bedroom.
"I don't know yet."
He dials a number, pressing the phone to his ear.
"But we'll figure it out."
