Page 206 of Sexting the Pakhan

That shuts him up for half a second.

I say, “I know what I am. I also know what I don’t do. I don’t drag children out of bed.”

His mouth tightens.

Ilya presses the gun closer to Mila. “Careful.”

Mila whimpers.

Everything in me goes still.

I say, very quietly, “Take the gun off her.”

“Or what?”

“Or you’ll find out why all these men needed to stand around you before you felt brave.”

That wipes the smile off his face. Good.

I look at Mila again. She’s terrified, but she’s listening.

“Mila,” I say.

Her lips tremble. “Papa.”

“I’m here. You’re going to run when I tell you.”

Ilya says, “She isn’t going anywhere.”

I ignore him. “Straight to the trees behind me,” I tell her. “Don’t stop. Don’t look back. Find Mama.”

Mila nods once.

Small. Enough.

Stepan says, “Ruslan.”

I don’t look at him. “If you point that gun at her, I’ll kill you too.”

He goes quiet.

Ilya laughs once, but it sounds forced now. “You’re not in a position to kill anyone.”

I take one step forward.

Every gun lifts.

I stop. Then I look at Ilya and say, “Let her go and take me. That’s what you wanted anyway.”

Ilya’s eyes narrow. That’s the opening. His grip loosens for half a second.

“Mila,” I say. “Run.”

She slips out of Ilya’s grip, stumbles once on the loose gravel, and then throws herself toward the trees exactly the way I told her to. Her little coat flashes pale in the dark. Her feet are too small for the uneven ground, but she keeps going, arms pumping, crying openly now because there’s no reason to be quiet anymore.

Ilya turns his gun after her.

I hit him before he can line up the shot.