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Which, of course, I had.
I’m not sure how I feel about Ravil underestimating me, but I’m pretty sure he’ll never do it again. Not that I’m going to give him the opportunity.
Milana and half of my men clear a path to the mansion, lined with the bodies of men who chose the wrong don. I follow the path right into the foyer.
Two spiral staircases greet me from either side of the marbled expanse. Overhead, a dome glass ceiling regurgitates refracted rays of sunlight. It’s like stepping inside of an uncut diamond.
I look at Milana. “You take the right,” I tell her. “Two gunshots in the air when you find her.”
“Copy that.”
We mount the staircases and end up at opposite ends of the same corridor. She gives me a nod and we head off, our guns drawn, squads of men trailing in our wake.
I kick down one door after another. Empty. Empty. Empty.
But my fourth attempt strikes gold.
The door smashes open to reveal Ravil standing on the other side, holding my fiancée in front of him as a human shield.
She’s wearing a flimsy white dress that looks like it belongs to a teenager. Ravil has the side of his face pressed against the locks of her hair. His arm is wrapped around June’s waist, and he’s holding her so close that she’s straining hard against him, nose upturned and jaw clenched tight.
“Cousin,” I growl, taking my finger off the trigger as I step gingerly into the room.
I’m just about to fire off the two alert shots that Milana and I had agreed on when Ravil hisses at me, “You alert any of your people and I will shoot her fucking brains out.” He’s holding a gun to June’s temple.
She flinches against the cold mouth of the weapon, but her jaw tightens and she keeps her eyes squarely on mine.
I feel like I’m about to explode out of my skin. All I want to do is close the distance between us and beat Ravil to death with my bare hands.
Instead, I force myself to stay in place.
“You found me fast,” Ravil observes.
“I didn’t have to find you at all. I knew you purchased this property hours after you signed on the dotted line. I didn’t expect you to bring the fight here, though.” I sigh and let my gun dangle at my side. “Let her go, Ravil.”
“Why would I let go of my bargaining chip?”
“Because that’s the only way you’re going to get out of here alive.”
He laughs loudly, making June flinch again. “You’re not going to kill me,” he says confidently. “Killing your father cost you half your Bratva. Even you wouldn’t be so dumb as to do that twice.”
“Abolishing the prostitution trade cost me half my Bratva, and it was a cost I was willing to bear.”
“That choice gave me everything I have. It gave me money. It gave me power. It gave me an army of men who despise you.”
“And yet you’re the one who’s cornered.”
His eyes narrow. “Let me go, and I’ll let your little whore live. Do anything else, and I’ll show you no mercy.”
I have to suppress my laugh. “That’ll be hard to do in cuffs, cousin.”
My eyes flit to June’s. She looks like a woman who’s put her trust in me. “But fine,” I tell Ravil. “Let’s make a deal. I’ll let you leave, with your life and your freedom alike. Just let June go.”
Ravil’s eyes lock on mine, trying to measure out how far his trust in me extends. He wants to believe me, but he’s not sure. Then he pushes June forward suddenly. She stumbles, but manages to stay on her feet, right between Ravil and me.
Ravil raises his gun at the same time I do.
“How good is your word, cousin?” Ravil growls.
