Page 55 of Beautiful Trauma

“If you’re taking her as a bride, how can you…” I swallowed hard. “You even told Jordy he could have a turn.”

“She needs to be taught a lesson after she had the audacity to tell me just to turn a blind eye to Annika’s perversion.”

Shaking my head, I countered, “I won’t fucking stand for it.”

With a gleam burning in his eyes, Brian replied, “If you don’t get the fuck out of here, you won’t be standing long, boyo.”

I responded by dropping into a fighter’s stance. As Brian came at me from the front, Cian rushed my back. After ducking away, I launched two punches at Brian before whirling around to shove Cian into the wall. Searching for a weapon, I grabbed a marble ashtray off the table.

Cian landed one punch before I smashed him in the face with the ashtray.

With the two of them incapacitated, I gathered Mila into my arms. After pulling my gun, I stepped out into the hallway. I had no idea what retaliation I might face on the way out of here. I was seriously lamenting not having a bodyguard accompany me. Since I was flying to my family with protection, it didn’t seem necessary.

When I started down the staircase, Jordy’s eyes bulged at the sight of Mila in my arms. Pointing the gun at him, I said, “Don’t fucking move!”

With a slow shake of his head, Jordy replied, “He’ll kill you for this.”

“Not if I kill him first.” Since Brian had sent a car to the airport for me, I was in desperate need of a mode of transportation. Waving my gun, I said, “Get me the keys to a car.”

“Not bloody likely.”

I unloaded a shot at his feet, causing his arms to pinwheel as he flailed backwards until he fell on his ass. As Jordy stared up at me in disbelief, I said. “Get me some fucking keys or the next shot fucks you up and not the floor.”

With shaky hands, he reached into his pocket. After pulling out a key fob, he threw it at me. “Red Porsche.”

Without another word to him, I headed outside. Craning my neck, I searched the cars parked along the circular driveway. When I found it, I sprinted as best I could with Mila jostling in my arms.

Once I had deposited Mila inside, I raced around the front of the car. I said a silent prayer of thanks when it cranked. As I tore down the driveway, I reached for my phone. Callum answered on the second ring.

“I’m in trouble.”

He sucked in a harsh breath. “What’s happened?”

After filling him in about Mila and Brian, Callum growled, “Motherfucker!”

“Considering I don’t have her ID or passport, we’re truly fucked for getting out of the country fast.”

“You’re going to have to lay low until we get the jet to you.”

In a move of absolute control, I’d been flown to Dublin on Korolova’s jet along with two of his relatives who were going on to Russia. They were to pick me back up on their return trip to the states.

“Yeah, I know I need to get off the road, but Dublin is practically a foreign city to me, not to mention whatever connections we had I just burned to the ground.”

“Jordy might be an eejit, but there’s no way he doesn’t have a tracker on that car.”

I banged my hand on the wheel. “Fuck!”

My outburst caused Mila to whimper. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. Instead of acknowledging my apology, she remained staring ahead.

“Easy now. You gotta keep your head. You could ditch the car and walk,” Callum suggested.

Glancing over at Mila, I winced. She remained frozen, unblinking and unmoving. “Mila isn’t equipped for walking.”

“Fuck.”

“My sentiments exactly.”

“Okay. Give me ten minutes to figure something out, and I’ll call back.”