Page 91 of Until Death or Defeat

I nod, and he brings me up to my feet again, and I have to use him to stabilize. When I look over, Roman has finally made his way to where Caesar is, and Artem pulls on my arm.

“What is this, a gun?” he asks, touching the pocket. I nod and he pulls it out, checking the chamber and then closing it and putting it into my shaking hand. “I didn’t want you here,” he says gently, “but if you’re here, I can’t let you out of my sight. Leo is a traitor. There are no Russians. Caesar didn’t know, he was set up, too. We need to find him again before he comes looking for you.”

My breathing is deep, my chest heaving up and down and I start to tune him out.

Ican’tdo this.

I fucked up so bad.

I. . .I just?—

22

Artem

“Giselle, do you hear me?Moya, please. Focus. He needs you, right?”

She nods and looks at me again.

“We go. Now. I’ve got you.” I take her hand and lead her with me, walking down the infinite hallways as I try to listen closely for any steps or noises through the ones she’s quietly making behind me.

We reach a room with an open door, and I turn to her to motion for her to hold her gun up as I hold mine the same. The room seems unoccupied, but it’s too quiet.

I see a quick movement, and I push her down as I shoot, and another one comes back but misses above my head.

She yells out when she hears the bangs, and I keep my gun out straight as I finally see the fucking bastard make an up-close appearance.

“You just had to show up, didn’t you? This was none of your business, Sokolov. It’s afamilymatter.”

“Sheis my business.Sheis my familynow. So if you think I’m going to let you hurt her, you have another thing coming,” I seethe as I try to take another shot.

It ricochets off of a metal cabinet, and he laughs, moving sideways.

“What the fuck do you want, Leo? Because you sure as shit won’t come an inch closer to her.”

“Why? What’s happened to you, Gigi? I thought you were tough. Someone tough is going to have to take over for that idiot brother of yours, right?” He sneers and I keep my eyes and gun fixed on him as I speak to her.

“Don’t. He’s trying to make you stand so he can take a shot.”

“You wouldn’t be so tough without your Doberman here, maybe I should go through him first?—”

And of fucking course that does it. She jumps up from the ground and he immediately shoots, missing when I hold her to duck and go for another shot of my own.

Fuck. I’m almost out of shots. I need to get her out of here.

She’s standing tall, her gun pointed out to him, though her hands are still quivering. She isn’t even able to pull the trigger like this.

“Giselle, get down,” I plead but her eyes never leave his. I sigh and decide to move up, going to try to take my last shot while he’s distracted by her gun but he immediately turns and the shot hits my arm.

“Shit!” I exclaim through my teeth as my hand goes to my bicep, a graze but it’s fucking deep. I can see the panic on her face when she looks at me. “Keep your eyes forward!” I remind her and she nods, sweating as they stay face to face.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for years, Gigi. To finally see you rattled, and imperfect. You’re a mess,” he says with achuckle.

“Why are you doing this to me? Why would you fucking shoot my brother!Yourbrother!”

“Are you so fucking dense that you don’t understand why? I have always hated you. Both of you.”

“How can you say that?” she asks through tears.