Page 125 of Whispers in the Dark
“Oh, believe me, he did. He’s been a thorn in our sides for years, but that ends now.” Kazimir’s cruel gaze drifts to me.“Fight me, or they both die.” He slips his hand in his back pocket and retrieves his knife, hurling it to the side.
The wrath inside me explodes like a fire being unleashed upon kindling.
I don’t have a choice in this.
Dropping my gun to the floor, I remove my jacket and take the other gun out of my holster, tossing that as well.
I roll up my sleeves, stretching my neck out as I do.
“This is going to be so much fun.” Kazimir whips his shirt off and dances on the soles of his feet, jumping from side to side. He positions his arms before him, squaring off.
Alina’s eyes widen as she bites down on her bottom lip, tears streaming down her cheeks. But I quickly transition my attention to Kazimir. If I don’t focus, I won’t win.
He shuffles forward, keeping his balance as I do the same. Never once taking my eyes off him. He takes a swing, but I’m faster and move out of the way, missing the hit. I need to make him tired. To be so exhausted that he loses his stance or becomes too slow to miss my fist.
He takes another swing, and I step out of the way, watching as he stumbles forward, which merely pisses him off.
“I know what you’re doing,” he sneers. “And it won’t work. I took two hits before I got here, so I’m ready to do this all night long.”
Well, that unfortunately changes things.
He laughs manically, briefly turning his head to the side, and I take my shot, hitting him squarely in the jaw.
He shakes off the pain, adjusting his jaw back and forth. Blood coats his lip as he spits at the floor.
“There he is,” he says with amusement, right before charging me. He punches a jab at my stomach, but I block him with my left arm and swing with my right, getting him in the ribs. He stumbles back for only a moment before rushing me, his handsreaching out for my neck. They grip me for only a second before I use both of my elbows to jab down on his hold and then slam my head against his, knocking him off his game.
He growls in frustration, his chest panting heavily. “You’re not walking out of here alive!” He focuses on Alina and then on me with an unhinged look in his eyes. “Better say your goodbyes now.”
I slide my hand into my pocket and pull out my brass knuckles just as he lunges for me. Taking a step to the side, I grip his arm and push it inward as I step around and pull it back, shoving him to the floor with all my might, my body falling with his.
Straddling him, I go to town, my knuckles cracking from the impact as I let out my wrath onto his face. I grip the sides of his head and slam him against the hard floor.
Suddenly, the sound of blades whirring and strong gusts of wind assault us. I glance to my left and see a helicopter lowering with assault rifles sticking out on the side.
I think this is it for us until I identify the damn familiar faces inside: Vin, Leo, Caine, and Romeo.
And they don’t hold back as they make it rain bullets.
Guard after guard drops to the ground, lifeless.
“Shoot them!” Kazimir furiously roars beneath me.
Once the helicopter has almost touched down, Vin and Leo jump out, guns drawn, with guards by their sides.
“You messed with the wrong family, motherfuckers!” Vin roars.
Kazimir uses this opportunity to shove me off and slip away, bolting for Alina.
I scramble to my feet, slipping in blood, and lunge up. He retrieves his knife and stares down at her with a manic eye as he raises his arm high in the air, his fingers wrapped tightly around the handle.
A second before he lowers his wrist, I step between them, shoving Alina’s chair to the side and hearing her crash to the floor.
As the sound of a gunshot echoes in my skull, a scorching pain pierces my side, a white light blinding my vision.
But it’s not the bullet that got me.
My eyes trail over Kazimir, then to Vin, who stands several yards away with his gun raised, his fearful gaze fixed on the scene before him.
