Page 101 of Gangster's Empire: Leeza & Havel

“Stop touching me,” Ayaan growled at Cooper who was hovering next to her, a medical kit in his hands. “He got me in the vest, I’m fine. Just pissed he got away.”

“Explain,” Havel snarled, dropping to one knee in front of Kris who was clutching a stuffed dolphin and rocking on his feet, his small eyebrows wrinkled, tears streaking his cheeks, his gaze fixed on the floor. Havel softened his voice as he said, “You okay, buddy?” He ran his hands over Kris’s chest and back. When Kris winced, Havel turned him around and lifted his T-shirt, examining a scrape on Kris’s shoulder blade.

“He hit the pavement when I jumped on him,” Ayaan explained.

Havel grunted his acknowledgment, grabbing the medical kit Cooper was holding. He opened it on the floor and took out a tube of antibiotic ointment. Concentrating on his task, he ordered, “Someone explain what happened and don’t leave anything out.”

He wanted to scream at Ayaan and Cooper, to tell them they fucked up and demand answers, but he wouldn’t get the details if he terrorized them. He could collect heads later.

Cooper quickly filled Havel in. “We arrived in the market about twenty minutes ago so Leeza could meet your cousin for lunch. With Leeza’s permission, Ayaan took Kris to buy the dolphin. When Anne showed up, Leeza waved me and Simion away so they could speak in private. We stayed close enough to see them, but not close enough to hear what was discussed.” He paused, his brows lowering as if he was trying to picture exactly what had happened in the market. “Leeza seemed concerned and I moved closer, but Anne lured her to the curb where a van pulled up behind her. It was Adam. I saw Leeza try to run, but Adam hit her, then sprayed the market with bullets and drove away.” He paused again before adding, “Anne got into the van with him.”

Rage exploded through Havel, but he kept his touch gentle as he pulled Kris’s T-shirt back down. “So it was Adam.” Havel had suspected, but he needed confirmation before he figured out his next step. “Take off your shirt,” he said to Ayaan, standing next to her. To Cooper, he said, “Where’s Simion?”

“He tried to go after the van, but they had too much of a head start. Now he’s coordinating with Ali to get CCTV footage of the van.”

“I’m fine,” Ayaan grumbled, unbuttoning her shirt. “Cooper was shot too.”

Havel noticed her wince as she twisted to pull her arm through the sleeve. He’d taken bullets to the vest and it was nearly as painful as a flesh wound. He unstrapped her vest and pulled it away.

She stood stiffly in her sports bra, her back to him as he probed the darkening bruises where the bullets had impacted. Both bullets had hit her in the lower ribcage, missing her lungs and other organs. She would be sore, but she’d survive.

“You’re next.” He pointed at Cooper who dragged his shirt over his head and yanked off his vest.

Pulling her shirt back on, Ayaan faced them. “It was my fault Leeza was taken. I knew better than to trust Anne, and I still let her drag Leeza out of earshot.” Guilt twisted her features as she begged, “Please let me go after them before you fire me. I want to be the one to get her back. After, you can do whatever you want to me. I deserve it.”

“Shut up,” Havel interrupted her, shaking his head to clear the fear threatening to consume him. There were missing pieces to this puzzle that he needed to understand. Probing a growing bruise on Cooper’s chest, he asked, “What does Anne have to do with anything?”

Ayaan’s gaze turned hard, her black eyes glittering with vengeance. “Anne was with Adam. She tricked Leeza into going near the van so Adam could grab her.”

“She got into the van of her own volition,” Cooper added, his tone betraying his anger.

Havel paced the kitchen, forcing his chaotic thoughts to coalesce into a plan. He said to Ayaan and Cooper, “Take Kris to the office where he’ll be protected. I don’t think Adam will target him, but we can’t make assumptions. Send a message to Jozef. I want all available boots on the ground searching this city from top to bottom.”

“But, Boss,” Ayaan started to argue, but he held up a hand.

“You can gear up and meet me when Kris is safe. Right now, protecting Kris is the most important thing you can do.”

“In the market, Adam aimed shots at his own kid,” Cooper said in a low voice, glancing at Kris. “Scared the fuck outta me when Ayaan threw herself in front of him and they both went down. It’s a damn miracle neither were seriously injured.”

“Or skill,” Ayaan said testily. “I knew what I was doing.”

“There’s no bulletproof vest protecting your head,” Cooper argued. “Sometimes it’s just dumb luck that saves our asses.”

While Havel agreed with Cooper, this was not the time for bickering. Not when Leeza’s life was on the line. “Enough,” he snarled. “Go and do your jobs.”

He kneeled in front of Kris. “Do you want a hug?” The misery on Kris’s face made Havel’s chest ache.

Kris nodded. I’m scared. What’s going to happen to my mom?

“I’m going to get her back,” Havel promised, pulling Kris’s thin body against his chest.

Kris clung to Havel for a few seconds, his face tucked against Havel’s neck, his tiny heartbeat pattering against Havel’s chest.

Losing Leeza was Havel’s worst nightmare, but Kris needed him and Havel knew Leeza would want him to reassure their son. He pressed his lips to the side of Kris’s head and held him until Kris relaxed.

Standing, he stepped back as Ayaan gathered Kris to her and left with Cooper. Havel exited the restaurant through the back, sending a text to Simion as he walked.

Where are you?

---