Page 72 of Lost to Thievery
Fuck.
I walked past the street, breaking out into a sprint as soon as I was out of sight, running up the next street, so I could enter the alley from behind, and surprise whoever the fuck hid there. Ipushed my body to run faster, faster, feeling the adrenaline fuel my muscles from the horror scenarios my brain so effortlessly predicted and played out.
Up ahead stood a car, parked before the alley. By the way the body of the car slightly leaned lower on the driver’s side, I knew someone was in there. A big guy.
I snuck up behind the car, keeping low, lucky to find the window rolled down. My knife was already in my hand. The tattoo on the man’s arm confirmed it—Bratva—and I struck. Before the man could react, my blade was buried deep in his throat, severing his vocal cords. I pulled it free, only to slide it over his throat, watching the blood spill out as he gargled like a slaughtered pig. He grabbed hold of his neck, instinctively trying to hold the blood in while he stared at me in shock.
I chuckled lowly. “Naslazhdaysya adom, brat.”
His hands fell to his sides, his head lolling forward. I straightened. I had two minutes and thirty seconds before Ava reached the alley. And I could see the other fucker in the shadows, waiting on her, a silver revolver in his hand.
My steps were silent and precise as I walked up behind him. My first cut was the tendon on his trigger finger. He dropped the gun, and I caught it, just before it hit the ground. Revolvers had a knack for going off when dropped. And I didn’t want to scare my princess.
The man lifted his boot, trying to kick me in the face while I was low, but the idiot was as slow as a banana slug. He wasn’t even going to put up a good fight for me. I jerked back, letting his foot whizz past my face, then swung out and cut the Achilles tendon on the foot he was balancing on. He dropped like an ox, and I had my hand over his mouth before he could scream. I breathed out a pleased sigh. It was beyond satisfying seeing someone go down so fast with precise little cuts to precise little tendons. “Shh, big guy,” I whispered. “We don’t want to disturbthe peaceful walk of that beautiful woman you came for. She had such a good day. Let’s not ruin it.”
I plunged the blade into his neck, severing his vocal cords too, just in case he was a pussy, then brought my knife up to his eye, watching his mouth gape open in horror as he tried to scream but only a whoosh of air came out. Stupid move. He was going to struggle getting oxygen back into his lungs with no vocal cords. “Who sent you? Blink once for Rurik, twice for Michael.” If it was Michael, it would be pure revenge for being in prison. But if it was Rurik…
The man stared at me wide eyed, refusing to blink.
I chuckled under my breath. They were always so brave. Until they weren’t. I pushed the tip of my blade into the corner of his eye, making a scooping motion with my knife, as if I was about to scoop his eye out. The man writhed silently underneath me, and I pulled my knife free. “One more chance. And make it quick.”
The man blinked once with his good eye. Rurik. Theking of kings, as he liked to call himself these days.
Fuck!He found her. He found my girl.
I stabbed my knife right through the fucker’s eye into his brain. He went limp underneath me. I pulled him behind a garbage bin and straightened my clothes. I would deal with the bodies later.
I stepped forward, sticking to the shadows, searching for Ava. She was still fifty meters away from the alley, her lips curved into an easy smile, blissfully unaware of what had just transpired in the shadows before her.
My body relaxed, and I laughed silently as she readjusted the bag of heavy books in her hand and blew a lock of hair from her face. Everything was perfect when the only thing that bothered her was an unruly curl.
I drank in every one of her movements, every line of her body, my heart feeling heavy. Once she disappeared into thatapartment, it would be a while before I would see her again. Rurik had found her, and I couldn’t wait any longer. It was time for me to leave her and get to work. I would need to arrange for someone else to guard her. While I planned the auction and figured out Volkov’s escape from prison.
I clenched my jaw at the panic slipping up my ribs. Leaving her now was the hardest fucking thing I’d ever had to do. Even worse than leaving her in that vault. She needed my protection more than ever.
Ava came to a halt before the alley, and I couldn’t seem to blow out my breath. It got stuck in my chest. She turned slowly and stared down the alley, right at me.
My insides flipped. Could she see me?
No. There was no way. I was perfectly hidden within the shadows, something I’ve perfected over the years. I could give the goddamned ninjas a run for their money.
I stood as still as a statue, not even daring to breathe. Not that I could. What was she doing?
She took a hesitant step forward, a crease forming between her brows, and I finally inhaled a soundless, shattering breath.
Six more steps, and she would be in my arms.
The thought ripped through me, stirring a desperation from deep inside me that I’d kept bound and gagged.
Ava took another step towards me, and my breathing turned fast and ragged, my hands shaking like a madman.
Five more steps. Just five steps. It was all that separated us. Why was I doing this again? Why wasn’t I falling to my knees in front of her? I could be good to her. I would break my fucking body, twist it into unimaginable positions to morph into the man she deserved.
“Ava?”
Ava’s head snapped to the side, from where the voice came—the front door of Becket’s apartment.
Fucking,Becket! He must’ve sat by the window, waiting on her like the fucking dog he was.
