Page 129 of Brutal Reign

It’s too loud to make small talk, but I feel Chen’s eyes on me, and a chill ripples down my spine.

We reach the second floor and head down the hallway toward the private bathroom. Away from the pounding music, I can hear my own rapid heartbeat and the soft click of my heels on the concrete floor. Pavel and Roman should be in position by now. I just need to get through the next few minutes, and this will all be behind me.

Chen murmurs something behind me, and I turn to hear him better. “I’m sorry, what did you s?—”

The words catch on my lips as something hard presses against my ribs and Chen’s hand fists in my hair, yanking my head back.

I start to cry out, but the sound dies as he hisses in my ear, all pretense of being a caring uncle evaporating. “Shut up and do exactly what I say. You put up a fight or call for help, and I’ll put a bullet in your spine, do you understand?” His grip is so tight I can barely nod. “Now walk.”

Terror floods my system as he pulls me away from the bathroom, away from Pavel and Roman lying in wait. Instead, he drags me in the opposite direction, toward an unmarked door. My mind spins, trying to make sense of what’s happening. How did he get a gun past security? Where is he taking me?

I know Maxim and his team are watching, but maybe they’re afraid to step in with Chen’s weapon against my spine. I doubt he’ll actually shoot—I’m too valuable to him and Simon alive—but they may not want to take that chance.

“Chen, please,” I coax, trying to keep the desperation from my voice. “W-what are you doing?”

“What I should have done years ago,” he snarls. “Your father made the mistake of cutting me out of the triad. But that won’t be a problem anymore.”

The door opens to reveal a dimly lit back stairwell—narrow and utilitarian, nothing like the elegant main stairs. The concrete walls close in around us as he shoves me upward, step by step.

I keep telling myself someone will come for me. I need to hold on until then. I can’t let Chen drag me out of this building. I’ll fight him before that happens.

Chen pushes me to keep walking while my mind races. I could try to reach the knife strapped to my thigh, but with his weapon jammed against my ribs and his hand wrenching my hair, I’d be dead before I could draw it. Still, if it comes down to it, I’ll fight him off on my own.

Cold dread washes over me when we reach the next floor to find at least six of Chen’s men waiting for us.

“Cover us from below and above,” he barks at his men. “We still need to reach the roof, and I know they have eyes up there. Shoot to kill.”

His soldiers spread out, taking positions that block any rescue attempt, while Chen stays behind me, his hand still twisted in my hair like a leash, forcing me forward.

“Please,” I sob. “I don’t care about the money. You can have it all. Pavel will give you whatever you want if you let me go.”

Chen’s laugh is cold and ugly. “Let you go? You naïve child. Did you think we’d leave you here in Russia, married to ourenemy? You’re going to hand over your inheritance and marry Simon and behave, like you should have in the first place.” Chen shoves his weapon harder against my ribs. “You know nothing about loyalty. If you did, you never would have spread your legs for that Russian savage. You’re his whore—a disgrace to your people.”

“You’re one to talk. You’re the biggest traitor of all.”

He only laughs, giving me a hard shove forward. I trip over my own feet, barely catching my balance before I sprawl across the concrete.

The sharp blast of gunfire erupts from below, stopping us all in our tracks. Shouts echo up the stairwell, and relief crashes through me so hard I have to fight for my next breath.

Pavel.

One of Chen’s men peers over the railing, then turns back with urgency. “Boss, Syndicate forces are fighting their way up here.”

Chen’s hand fists painfully in my hair. “Stop them. All of you, go! I want those Russians dead.”

“What about her?” one man asks, gesturing at me.

“I can handle one spoiled princess.” Chen sneers. “Move!”

Knowing help is on the way gives me the strength I need to fight back. Twisting my torso, I claw at the banister, dragging my heels in desperation to slow him down. It works for a second, until he snarls in frustration and strikes me across the head. Stars explode behind my eyes, my knees giving out, but he jerks me upright and forces me through a door onto the roof.

Wind whips across the space as a helicopter hovers above us, rotors churning debris and loose gravel into a stinging storm.

For a moment, Chen’s attention wavers as he watches the aircraft approach. That split second is all I need.

Fueled by pure adrenaline, I slam my elbow into his solar plexus. He grunts, his grip loosening as he doubles over. As Iscramble away, I hear glass shatter on the concrete and see a broken beer bottle near my feet. I realize with horror there was no gun—he used the bottle’s bottom to mimic a gun barrel.

My fingers close around the knife handle at my thigh. Chen straightens. He has no weapon now and no backup. We face each other across the windswept roof, the helicopter’s rotors creating a wall of noise around us.