Page 121 of Gilded in Blood

“Kirill!” I hear Milana scream.

A guard raises his rifle toward Maxim. I shoot him first. Another aims at Milana, and I fire quickly. He collapses before he can pull the trigger.

Michael backs away, fury twisting his face. “You useless idiots!”

He snatches a pistol from one of his fallen men and raises it toward me.

I throw myself sideways. The shot cracks through the basement, and a wet sound follows. I notice the look of shock on Michael's face.

I turn to find Ivan with a surprised expression on his face, a bullet on his forehead. He looks at Michael in disbelief.

“You…”

His knees buckle, and he collapses onto the concrete floor. Dead.

Before Michael recovers, I rush him. I slam into him with everything I have, and his gun skids across the floor.

We crash into a table, sending tools flying. He drives his fist into my jaw. I answer with one to his ribs. He knees me in the stomach, causing me to stagger.

He lunges, but I catch his wrist before the knife he grabbed can reach me. We strain against each other, his face is inches from mine.

“You ruined everything!” he snarls.

I shove him backward, and he swings wildly. I duck beneath it and drive my fist into his face.

His nose breaks with a sickening crack. He stumbles. I don’t give him time to recover, I land another punch. Then another.

He crashes against the wall. I spot the pistol lying on the floor beside us. We both dive for it, my fingers reach it first.

Michael grabs my wrist, we struggle. Then… bang. The recoil jolts through my arm. Michael freezes, his eyes slowly drop to his chest. I follow it to see as a dark stain spreads across his shirt.

He takes one shaky step backward, blood spills from the corner of his mouth.

He tries to speak, nothing comes out except a wet gurgle. His eyes find mine, for the first time, there is fear in them.

His knees give out, and he hits the floor. I keep the gun trained on him until life finally drains from his eyes.

I’m across the room in seconds. “Milana.”

I drop to my knees in front of her and start fumbling with the ropes around her wrists. The moment her hands are free, she throws herself into my arms.

“Kirill…” She’s crying.

I wrap both arms around her and pull her against me as tightly as I can. I bury my face in her hair, breathing her in. She’s alive.

When I pull back, I wipe the tears still streaming down her cheeks.

Across the room, Maxim unties Calina. She stirs weakly as the ropes fall away. “Maxim…”

“I’m here, baby.” He gently lifts her into his arms.

He looks over at me. “We need to move. We don’t know if there are men still on the estate.”

I nod once. “Let’s go.”

I help Milana to her feet, keeping one arm securely around her as we hurry toward the stairs. Both Maxim and I retrieve rifles from the fallen guards before leaving the basement.

The house is eerily quiet. Our weapons stay raised as we move. We reach the front entrance without seeing another soul.