Arms wrap around my body. “Miss, you can’t be here,” the police officer who’s holding me says.
“Let go of her!” Alexie shouts at the officer, and he immediately drops his arms.
“Sorry, Mr. Volkov, but it’s not safe for her to be this close,” The cop’s voice is shaky as he realizes who he’s talking to.
“Was anyone in there? I was just here a little bit ago for dance class?” I ask the officer.
“The only vehicle left in the parking lot was for a Meryl Taylor. We’ve tried to reach her but haven’t been able to. Do you know who she is?”
My stomach twists in a knot. “She’s the instructor here. She just taught my class. I don’t understand.” That’s a lie. I understand exactly what happened…orwhohappened. The cop takes my contact information and says he’ll follow up with me for any information he might need, but I know I won’t be allowed to tell him anything.
Alexie and I walk back to his car, and he cradles me in his arms as I sob. I glance back to look at the flames. “He fucking killed her, Alexie. That sick fuck killed her because she interrupted him earlier. How can your father allow that psycho to get away with this?” I already know the answer, though. Andrei lets Ivan get away with doing whatever he wants. He’s the enforcer and has dirtied his hands in our name far too much for Andrei to ever cut him loose.
Nat
“Alexie!Please,staywithme.” I scream as his eyes keep fluttering open and close. I take off my shirt, pressing it to the gunshot wound on his shoulder, and an agonized groan escapes his lips.
“Nat! I told you to get up and get away from him,” King yells as he moves to stand closer to us.
“Fuck you! Get away from us! I have to keep pressure on it!” My body instinctively leans over Alexie’s. Covering him from King.“You have no idea what you just did,” I say to King, betrayal laced in my voice.
“I know exactly what I did. That’s Alexie Volkov. The enemy. Were you just going to sit back and pretend to be upset when he started taking us all out one by one? He may have already killed BJ. We still haven’t found her,” King argues sternly, but I don’t miss when his voice catches at the mention of BJ.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. Alexie didn’t do this. It was Umbra!” I shout back at him. Alexie’s left arm moves, his hand reaching up for me. I release one hand from pressing on his wound and grip his hand in mine.“Alexie? Can you hear me?” His eyes open slightly to meet mine, letting me know he’s still with me.
I don’t notice King moving around to the other side of us until he’s kneeling directly in front of me. “What the fuck is an Umbra? You better start fucking talking,” King demands, his gun pointed directly at Alexie’s head now.
My eyes look up to meet King’s. “I’m not telling you shit! If he dies, you get nothing. Help me save him first.”
King doesn’t move.He must think I’m joking.“I’m fucking serious, King! You don’t know what the fuck is going on! Alexie’s probably the only person who can help take down the person responsible for what just happened to BJ.” He holsters his gun and pulls out his phone.
“If you’re lying again, I’ll kill you myself.” King puts his phone to his ear, giving someone our location.Who is he calling?My mind runs through all the possibilities. “Before I even attempt to help him, you’re going to tell me who’s responsible for that explosion.”
I look down at Alexie, whose eyes are steadily opening and closing, but his breathing is shallow. My eyes look back up to King’s. “If you’re lying, I’ll kill you.” A small smile forms on the edges of King’s mouth.
“Fair enough. Whoever lies, dies.” Yupp, that’s definitely a smile on his face.This is not a time to be flirting, you idiot!
“Umbra means shadow. His name is Ivan,” I blurt out.
The smile fades from King’s mouth. “Oh, I don’t think so, Luci. You’re giving me more than that.”
Asshole.However, he’s holding all the cards here. “Fine. Ivan is the enforcer for Andrei Volkov–”
“How do you know all of this?” King interrupts, pausing to look down at Alexie for a moment before his eyes return to me. “Wait. This is Alex, the guy who just left you, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Listen to me, King. I never thought things would go as far as they did, I swear. Please, you need to–” An SUV catches my attention before I can say anymore, pulling up right next to us, brakes squealing as it stops.
“What the fuck happened?” Stryker’s yelling as he gets out of the vehicle.
“You’ll have to ask her,” King says sourly as he points to me. “But you’ll have to do it later because we have to save this asshole before we get any answers, apparently.”
Stryker’s eyes move to me. “What is he talking about?” he asks.
“Please, Stryker. Just save him first, I promise I’ll explain everything.” His brows furrow and I can tell he wants to inquire further but stops himself and moves toward Alexie.
His eyes look Alexie up and down, surveying the damage. “King, grab his legs. I’ll get his shoulders. Little Fox, get in the back, and we’ll slide him to you.”
I release my hands from Alexie, rushing to Stryker’s vehicle. As I reach for the door handle, I notice the blood covering my hands. I turn back to see Stryker and King lifting Alexie off the ground.He’s lost so much blood. I can’t lose him. Not now.