Chapter 7
ALEXEI
Present day.
We’ve followed Isabella back to the harbor, and just like I thought, she’s here for another shipment.
Only this time, there are men swarming all over. The shipment coming in must be of high value for Sonia to guard it so heavily.
“There’s no way Isabella will be able to pull this off on her own,” Demitri whispers next to me where we’ve taken position on one of the warehouse roofs. I have my rifle out, and lying down, I use the scope to survey the area below.
“There are easily over a hundred men down there,” I mutter.
Demitri gets his own rifle ready, then asks, “Do you plan on helping her?”
“Yes.” I grin at him. “That way, she’ll owe me.”
I turn my scope to where Isabella’s taken cover on one of the containers. I can barely make out her black-clothed figure as she lies dead still.
“Movement on the ship,” Demitri says.
“You watch the shipment. I’ll keep my eye on Isabella,” I instruct him.
Slowly Isabella gets up, and then she jumps to another container. I watch as she stealthily moves closer, and it makes the respect I already feel for the woman grow.
When she’s close to the first line of guards, she jumps to the ground, and I lose sight of her for a moment. Then, seconds later, she creeps into the open, holding a gun in each hand.
“The moment she takes down the first man, all hell will break loose,” I voice my worry.
“I have the left side covered,” Demitri whispers, his voice tense with focus.
Isabella moves into action, and it’s fucking breathtaking as she raises both her hands and opens fire on the men. I train my sights on the men nearest to her and begin to take out the ones that are the biggest threat to her.
Isabella’s head snaps in our direction as I drop another body for her.
You’re welcome, little one.
I take another shot, and it has Isabella jumping back into the action.
Demitri begins to fire off shots, but too many men have broken away from the left side, and they’re moving in on Isabella’s position.
“I’m going for her,” I say as I get up.
“I’ve got your back,” Demitri replies, and then I’m running toward the side of the warehouse. Jumping onto the aircon units and then a stack of crates, I reach the ground in a matter of seconds.
I break out into a flat-out sprint, firing shots as I move in Isabella’s direction. Bodies drop around me as Demitri covers me. I come up to the side of the containers and weave my way through them, not wanting to face Isabella head-on.
Right now, she’ll see me as another target.
As I move around a set of containers, I come up behind Isabella. She’s being forced back by the men, and then Demitri’s voice sounds up in the earpiece I’m wearing, ‘Reinforcements arrived. Get out of there.’
“Not without Isabella,” I grind the words out as I walk up behind her, firing shots at the nearest threats.
Isabella darts to the side, trying to stay focused on Sonia’s men while glancing at me.
“This place is about to be overrun. Reinforcements just arrived,” I shout at her as I keep firing shots. I’m on high alert that she can turn on me at any second.
‘Get the fuck out of there,’ Demitri hollers in my ear as he keeps dropping one body after the other, giving us a moment of reprieve.
With my free hand, I grab hold of Isabella’s arm, and shaking my head, I say, “You can’t free them. You’re outnumbered.”
Isabella looks back to the war Demitri’s waging against the men running in our direction, and then I yank her into the maze of containers.
For a moment, she comes with me, but then she yanks back against my hold and assumes a fighting stance. “Who the hell are you?” she demands, warning lacing her voice.
She’ll probably kill me the moment she hears my name. The corner of my mouth lifts. “The Devil.”
Isabella’s eyes widen behind the ski mask she’s wearing. “What did you just say?”
A man comes up behind Isabella, and I just react. Planting three shots in his chest, I grab hold of her arm and yank her against my body.
There’s an explosion of flowers, vanilla, and something earthy. For a moment, I’m caught off guard as my eyes lower to the wide eyes staring up at me.
Holy. Fuck.
I recover quickly. “Nice seeing you again,” I say, amused by how this is all turning out.
‘Fucking move, or I swear I’ll shoot you myself!’ Demitri hollers in my ear again, yanking me back to our present predicament.
“How about we kill each other later and first get out of this mess alive?” I ask, the corner of my mouth lifting higher from learning the identity of the hook-up I had a couple of months back.
The hook-up that’s turned out to be a mischievous goddess of chaos, taking blow after blow at the cartel.
Isabella recovers from the shock, and we begin to move deeper into the containers until we break free on the other side of the harbor.
“Where are you?” I ask Demitri.
Isabella’s eyes snap to me as Demitri answers, ‘To your right.’
Turning my head, I see the SUV coming my way. But, when I glance back at Isabella, I come face to face with the barrel of her gun.
She begins to back away from me, slowly inching in the direction of her motorcycle.
I hear the SUV come to a screeching halt and hold up my hand, so Demitri doesn’t shoot Isabella.
“When you’re ready to talk, let me know,” I say to her.
“Who are you?” she bites the word out, her body tense as she keeps moving backward.
My mouth lifts into a smile again. “Alexei Koslov.”
Isabella freezes for a moment, shocked at hearing my name. Then she spins around and runs toward her motorcycle.
I’ll see you soon.