“Collin!”
“Fucking hell, boss!” Collin cries, his face splitting into a massive grin. “Almost blew your head right off.”
“Back atcha,” I say, rounding the couch. “What’s the status?”
“They’ve got more men than we expected,” he says grimly. He’s bleeding from the forehead and covered in sweat. But otherwise, he looks fine. “We’ve managed to beat them back enough to get more of our men in the house. The first group of soldiers we sent in are upstairs. I think they’re getting their asses handed to them.”
“They need backup,” I say. “Go.”
He looks at me. “What about—”
“I’ll join you soon,” I say, cutting him off. “Go. The men need you.”
He nods and rushes back out. A few more of my men storm past on their way to join the fight. And then I notice…
“Artem?”
The massive man halts to a stop and has to double back to the open door.
“Jesus, Phoenix,” I say when I realize which Kovalyov it is. “Thought you were your da—”
“Yeah, yeah,” he says, cutting me off. “You okay?”
“Fighting fit,” I reply. “Where’s your father?”
“Around here somewhere. So’s Uncle Cillian.”
“And Yannis? Does anyone have eyes on him?”
Phoenix looks past me, noticing that Renata is behind the couch. “You found her?”
“Concentrate, Phoenix,” I tell him firmly. “Yannis. Where is he?”
“He’s definitely on the compound, barricaded behind a wall of men. We’ve got our guys at the main gates, so he can’t exactly escape.”
“Good.”
“But I don’t know where exactly he is.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I reply. “We’ll find him soon enough.” I don’t bother to tell him that finding Yannis Rokiades is going to be my fucking pleasure. Instead, I place my hand on his shoulder. “Phoenix, I’m gonna need you to do something for me.”
“Anything,” he says, straightening up immediately.
“I’ve got Sarah back there with Renata. She’s been shot and she’s bleeding out. We’ve managed to stop the bleeding now, but she needs medical attention fast. And she’s in no fit state to be moved.”
“Okay…?”
“I need you to stay here with both of them.”
His face falls instantly. He wants to be out there, fighting alongside me. I can understand that. I’d probably feel the same thing in his position.
I squeeze his shoulder. “Phoenix, I wouldn’t ask if this wasn’t important,” I say. “Renata… she’s pregnant.”
His eyes go wide. “Pregnant?”
“The child’s mine,” I say, feeling a glow of pride work its way into my tone. “And there’s no other man I trust more to take care of them.”
Phoenix nods slowly. “I’ll keep them safe.”