Page 96 of A Devious Arrangement
My ears ringas bullets whiz past me, exploding as they connect with anything in their path. The Everettes versus the Romanovs. My gaze jerks around the room, searching for Stasia. My brothers are here, armed to the teeth, each firing off shots like it’s second nature. I don’t have time to worry about them. The only thing that matters right now is getting to my girl.
The air is knocked out of me as I catch a glimpse of red hair dropping behind a turned-over table. My lungs burn as my feet pummel the ground, propelling me toward where she disappeared. Wood splinters into my arm as bullets tear into it, but I can’t register the pain. Not until I see she’s alright.
I skid on my knees behind the table, and I’m met with the muzzle of Stasia’s gun pointed directly at my head. I carefully lower it, removing the weapon from her trembling hand. “Easy there, Princess.”
Stasia tries to smile, but her blue eyes glint with tears. Seeing her like this tears something deep within me, and I reach out, pulling her onto my lap. She buries her face into my chest, her body shaking in my arms.
I stroke her back until she settles, her breathing evening out.
“Never again,” I say, my voice full of gravel. I was terrified, and I have no intention of hiding it.
Stasia lifts her head, and I brush away her tears with my thumbs. A crack forms in my chest, seeing her like this.
“I don’t know why I’m crying.” She sniffs.
I kiss her forehead. “It’s the adrenaline. It’ll wear off soon.”
She nods and curls into my lap. I can’t help but feel proud of the way she settles against me, even as gunshots burst around the room. It won’t be long now until this is over.
A man I don’t recognize comes crashing behind the table, looking for shelter, but he picked the wrong fucking place. I’ve shot him three times before he can even register what’s happening.
Stasia shudders, and I tighten around her, pulling her harder against me. “It’s fine.”
I should never have let her come here. She’s going to be fucking traumatized after this.
Soft lips kiss the bottom of my jaw, and I meet Stasia’s smiling gaze. “Nice shot.”
A low chuckle forms in my chest. This girl never ceases to surprise me. I press my finger into my earpiece.
“Why the fuck are you letting them get close to us,” I growl.
“Sorry. We’re nearly done,” Xander replies.
“What about my brother?” Stasia asks, and I run circles over the nape of her neck to comfort her.
“We got him. Don’t worry, he’s safe,” Matthias answers swiftly.
The tension in her spine loosens, and she leans her weight into me. It’s several moments before her blue eyes meet mine. Her grin starts slow but builds until it takes over her face. “We did it.”
“Hell yeah, you did.” I capture her mouth in a long, punishing kiss. “Just never do this to me again.”
She laughs. “Deal.”
Chapter 47
Anastasia
Dead bodies litterthe ground around us in a macabre display of the last five minutes. It’s crazy too think all of this damage could happen in such a short amount of time.
Matthias’s voice comes through the earpiece. “Five injured. No fatalities. I’ll call this a success.”
I let out a long sigh. I hated knowing I put others at risk, even though they reassured me over and over it was fine.
Bash hasn’t let me out of his sight for a second, keeping me tucked against his side as he speaks to everyone around us. I don’t hesitate to lean my weight against him, exhaustion starting to take over.
Bash guides me to a chair that’s luckily not covered in blood, and I collapse into it, grateful for a rest. My body’s still trembling from the aftereffects of adrenaline.
Nikolai’s pissed, and I’m not looking forward to talking to him, but thankfully, Damon’s got him cornered for the time being.
