Page 18

Chapter

Eighteen

MAXIM

I wake up back in Dr. Wilson’s clinic. A bandage is wrapped around my stomach.

I groan and rip the oxygen tube out of my nose. I need to get to Luna before it’s too late. It might already be too late.

Dr. Wilson enters the room. “You’re awake. Good. You were very fortunate. No artery was hit, so no internal bleeding. I was able to stitch you back up and give you blood to replenish the amount you lost.”

“So, I’m ok?”

“You are. But you need to rest. You almost died, Maxim.”

“No. I need to go after Luna. I need to save her. Get me Nikolai or Dimitri. They’ll help.”

“I can call them, but you really need to rest.”

“Fuck rest,” I snarl. “I need to go. Just get them here.”

He nods and leaves the room. It takes everything in me not to run from this room right this second, but even I can admit I’m too hurt. Between my side and my leg, I’m not moving as fast as I used to.

It takes an hour for Dimitri and Nikolai to show up. Fuck them. Luna has been gone for hours by now.

“You’re awake,” Dimitri says. “For a moment there, I thought you were going to die.”

“Jeez. Thanks.” I turn to Nikolai. “I need your help. One of my men, Jasper—the one who kidnapped Evie and Katya—he took Luna. I need help getting her back.”

“Of course. Do you have any idea where she might be?”

“Check Jasper’s apartment. Other than that … I’m at a loss.”

“Ok. I’ll go check. But you need to know something, Maxim. Anton was spotted leaving the city. We don’t know where he’s going, but knowing him, it can’t be good. He doesn’t just leave and disappear for no reason.”

“Truthfully, Nikolai? Right now, I don’t give a fuck about Anton. I just want to save Luna and kill Jasper for taking her. For—” I stop. I can’t even think of the words.

The thought of Jasper doing horrible things to Luna breaks my fucking heart.

“Hey,” Dimitri says. “You helped save my wife and sister. I’ll help you get your girl back.”

“I have to come with.”

“No,” Nikolai says. “You need to stay here and rest. I’ll look into Jasper’s apartment, see if Luna is there. Dimitri, look into Anton. Try to see what he’s up to if you can.”

“You know Anton. He’s probably trying to blow shit up. He wants to tear us all down one by one.”

“Just go,” I groan. “Go find Luna.”

Nikolai leaves, but Dimitri lingers for a moment. “Hey, man. I just have to say … I’m glad you’re alive.”

“Wow. You do have the capability for kindness.”

He flashes me his signature grin. “Just don’t tell anyone.”

I watch him go and feel hopeless being stuck in this fucking bed. I manage to sit up, but it causes intense pain to course through me. Jasper almost killed me, but I’ll make sure to kill him.

I have to. Even if Nikolai saves Luna from Jasper, it has to be me who kills him. I believe in fair justice.

It takes me minutes to work up the strength to stand up and shuffle towards the door.

“Hey,” Dr. Wilson says as I leave the room. “You shouldn’t be up.”

“I’m leaving.”

“You should stay.”

“You can’t make me. I’m going.”

He sighs. “Fine. Then I’m going to need you to sign discharge papers.”

“I don’t have time.”

He makes a point of looking at my bandaged chest. “You’re moving slowly. You have time.” He grabs a clipboard from the front desk and hands it to me. “Sign.”

I grumble but do as he says. The moment it’s done, I leave the clinic, every step hurting.

Nikolai calls me when I’m hallway down the sidewalk. “She’s not here.”

“What?”

“I checked Jasper’s apartment. He’s not there, nor is Luna. Which means he’s either somewhere else or …”

Or Luna is dead, and he’s disappeared into the wind.

“He has to be somewhere else,” I growl.

“Ok. Any ideas?”

I’ve known Jasper for years. He’s been at my side when I’ve been involved in shootouts. He was someone I trusted. I know him.

If he’s not at his apartment, where would he be?

Jasper can be vindictive. He can be petty.

I have an idea.

“The lighthouse,” I say. “He’d want to bring Luna back there just to torture her. Just to torture me.”

“Then the lighthouse it is. Take Dimitri with you. I’ll stay here in the city to watch out for Anton in case he makes his return.”

“Duly noted.” I hang up on Nikolai and call Dimitri. “You and me are taking a trip.”

I can hear the smile in his voice. “Ooh. Sounds like fun.”

LUNA

The man approaching the lighthouse is one I’ve never seen before.

He looks to be around Maxim’s age, with dark hair and an easy gait. From what I can see, he’s handsome.

Maybe he’ll be able to help get me out of here.

I wave my arms up and down frantically. “Up here! I need help!” My yell is washed out by the ocean.

Just a moment ago, I was considering ending my life, but with the arrival of this man, hope fills me. I don’t have to subject myself to death. That’s what Jasper wants me to do. It’s what God would have told me to do.

But even if Maxim is really dead, I can still go on living. I have Rose and Ava and Katya and Evie. I can make a new family. I can always move in with Rose. She’d help me find a job. Help me get on my feet without Maxim caring for me.

I can be ok even as my heart breaks imagining my life without him.

I don’t have to die here.

“Help!” I run around the top deck of the lighthouse, hoping the movement catches the man’s attention.

It finally does.

He looks up at me and, after a moment, waves back.

“I need help!”

He cups his hands behind his ears, signally he can’t hear me.

“I need help!” I try again but it’s not working. He can’t hear me.

The man looks around at a leisurely pace. He doesn’t seem to understand that I’m in danger, both from Jasper and from starving to death stuck in this lighthouse.

He looks back up at me, and from this distance, I swear I can see him smile. This isn’t a happy matter.

I point toward the door, and he nods. Thank goodness. Hopefully, he can open the door from outside, and I can leave this place.

I run back downstairs.

“Decided to join me again?” Jasper asks.

“No. Someone is here. Outside. They can help me get out.”

“You know, Luna, think about this for a moment. If they help you, they’ll help me, too. And then I’ll be free. I doubt you want that.”

My body freezes. Jasper has a point. I don’t want him to be let go, and if that man outside gets in, he might get hurt. Jasper might try to use that man against me somehow.

But no. I can’t be afraid. I need to get out of here. I refuse to die in this lighthouse.

“Can you just shut up?” I say. “I’ll hit you with the water pitcher again.”

“Then you might kill me, and I doubt you want to risk that.”

“Just shut up!” I run to the door and pound on it. “Hello? Can you hear me? I need help!”

Everything is quiet before the man replies. “You need help?”

I sag with relief against the door. “Yes. I need help. I’m stuck inside. The door automatically locks when closed. Can you open it from the outside. Please?”

“Well, I can see what I can do. Just give me a minute.”

I’m drawn into this man’s warm voice. It’s almost as attractive as Maxim’s.

I turn to Jasper in triumph. “You’re not going to win here. I’ve learned a lot over these past weeks. You don’t get to have any sort of power over me.”

He narrows his eyes. “We’ll see about that.”

“Mister?” I say through the door. “I’m in here with a bad man who’s trying to hurt me.”

“Understood,” is his reply. Thank goodness. He gets it. He’s going to help me.

I can hear a scraping sound against the door before everything goes silent.

And then the sound of a gunshot goes off.

It’s so loud it makes me stumble back and scream. The sound reminds me of when Maxim first showed up here. He, too, shot at the door.

But this isn’t Maxim. This is just a random other man …

… who has a gun.

Why does he have a gun?

My gut screams at me to back away. Suddenly, I don’t want that man getting in here.

The door creaks open.

The man stands in the open doorway, looking around the room with too much interest. His eyes linger on Jasper, a slow smile forming on his lips, before he turns to me.

“You needed help?”

My throat is closed. Gosh, I can’t breathe. “Uh …”

“I’m the prisoner here,” Jasper says, struggling against his binds. “Clearly.”

“Clearly,” the man replies. He’s blocking the entrance, so I can’t leave.

“So, help me!” Jasper exclaims.

He crosses his arms and smiles down at Jasper. “Mmm. Maybe. This is all too interesting. I’m not sure I even want to get involved. What were you doing with him? Kinky stuff?”

“What? What does that mean?” I ask. “He tried to hurt me, so I knocked him out and tied him up. Please, I just want to leave. Can you move aside so I can go? I just want to go home.”

“Home. Where is your home? Out of curiosity.”

I don’t want to tell this man. The less he knows, the better. “What’s your name?” I whisper.

He smirks. “What’s yours?”

“Luna. That’s Jasper.”

“Hi, Luna. Hi, Jasper.”

“I need help,” I try again. “I just want to leave. Can you please move?”

“Now, why would I do that?” He leans against the doorframe, eyeing me over with curiosity. It’s not like how Jasper or Sal looked at me—with gross desire. And it’s not how Maxim looks at me—with a gentle lovingness.

The way this man looks at me is like a cat staring down at a mouse, and I’m the mouse.

“Who are you?” I whisper. “How did you come across the lighthouse?”

“It’s not like it’s hidden. Anyone can find it.”

“But it’s not a popular place to be. In all my years here, I never encountered another person. So, how did you find this place?”

“Oh, let’s see …” He strokes his chin. “I found this place when I dug into Maxim’s past. That included your past as well. I was fascinated when I learned you’d grown up in a lighthouse. I wanted to come see it for myself. Maybe blow it up for shits and giggles. Imagine my surprise when I found you here.” He looks at Jasper. “With a guest, no less. I just thought it was my lucky day.”

“Who are you? How do you know Maxim?”

His smile is cold and doesn’t even reach his eyes. “I know Maxim because he works with Dimitri Ivanov and Nikolai Petrov. Nikolai and I go way back. You see, I don’t like how those three banded together. If they’d just continued to work by themselves, I could have easily taken them down one by one. But instead, they have a combined power that makes me jealous. I want it. So, that’s why I’ve been having fun stealing their guns and blowing up their prized clubs. They need to know that either they can lose or work with me. But they’re not going to kill me.”

His words chill me to the bone. I know who this is. Maxim told me when he blew up the clubhouse.

Anton Volkov.

“Anton,” I whisper.

His eyes light up. “You’ve heard of me?”

“Maxim told me who you are. You really just stumbled upon this place?”

“I came looking for it. I was curious. A girl who grew up in a lighthouse all by herself. I brought my lighter. Thought I’d make a makeshift bomb and blow it up, but then I saw you up there.” He points to the ceiling. “And I knew I just needed to talk to you. You fascinate me. You and all the women in Maxim and Dimitri and Nikolai’s lives. I’ve met Nik’s wife, Ava. Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Evie yet. Maybe someday. But now, you and I have met.”

“Are you planning on hurting me?”

“Of course, he is,” Jasper snarls. “He’s the fucker who blew up the clubhouse.”

Anton shrugs. “Guilty.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

He sets his eyes onto me, locking me into place. “No. I don’t plan on hurting you. You see, I have a secret. I want to work with your boyfriend. I want to work with Dimitri and Nikolai. I don’t want to always have to fight.”

“You brought on the fight when you blew up the clubhouse,” I remind him.

He points at me. “True. But that was just to prove my point. Either work with me or go against me.”

“Maxim won’t want to work with you if you hurt me, you know. So, you should just move to the side and let me leave.”

“Oh? That simple?”

“Yes.”

“You’re smarter than I thought you would be. A girl who grew up all alone in a lighthouse. Honestly, I thought you’d be dumb. But you’re a smart girl. You’re trying to get out of this alive.”

“I am,” I admit.

He nods at Jasper. “So, who’s he?”

“He kidnapped me. Brought me back here.”

“Oh, interesting.”

“Yes, and now, I’d like to leave. So, if you don’t plan on hurting me, then …” I motion to the door.

“Right.” He steps aside. “You can go.”

With a gasp, I run for the exit—but at the last moment, Anton stops me by stepping back into my path. I crash into his chest.

“Woah, there,” he says, holding me close.

“What are you doing?” I struggle against him, but he just tightens his hold.

“Hey!” Jasper shouts. “She’s mine!”

“Is she?” Anton stares down at me, a wicked smile on his face.

“You said you’d let me go.”

“I did, but you see, I need leverage. I’m assuming your man will show up here. I want to make a deal with him. I’ll let you go if he decides to work with me and convince Dimitri and Nikolai to work with me, too. If Maxim can do that, then I’ll let you go. If not …”

“But you promised,” I grit out.

Anton’s laugh is dark and cold. “I break my promises all the time. Just ask Nik. Surely you’ve seen that scar on his face. I did that to him. I can do a lot more to a lot more people. You know this. Maxim’s men came after me. I slaughtered them all.”

“Not all. One survived.”

“Because I let him go to bring word back to Maxim. Clearly, he failed at his job. He was supposed to tell Maxim that I would stop killing his men if he just worked with me. You see, I’m not evil, Luna. I’m just power-hungry. And I know I could kill Nikolai or Dimitri or Maxim. But to kill them all?” He tsks . “That’s a challenge even I can’t do. So, I’d rather work with them.”

“But you don’t need me. Please, just let me go.”

“I can’t do that. As I said, I need you as leverage. So, why don’t we all just sit down.” He forces me to sit on a kitchen chair and then takes the seat next to me. Jasper is across from us, glaring at both Anton and me.

“Please,” I whimper.

“You know, Luna, I would be more impressed with you if you stopped begging. It’s unbecoming. I don’t like it. So, if you could just stop, that would be great.”

I slump in my seat and do as he says. I’m used to listening to powerful men tell me what to do. God did it my entire life. Anton is nothing new. If I want a chance of making it out alive, I have to do as Anton says.

He nods at Jasper. “You actually managed to tie him up yourself? Impressive.”

“He tried to rape me,” I spit out.

Anton mock gasps. “Well, that’s not very nice, is it?”

Jasper glares even harder. “She’s mine. I can do what I want with her.”

“Can you? You see, I’m an asshole. There’s no denying that. I love to blow shit up. I can’t help it. But I’ve never raped a woman. Never felt the need to. You, sir, are utter shit for that.”

“Says the homicidal maniac,” Jasper seethes.

“Potato, po-tah-toe.”

My eyes flick to the door. Anton left it open. I still have Jasper's keys in my pocket. I could make a run for it. The knife is on the floor from where I dropped it. All I have to do is grab it, stab Anton, and run.

But that would mean killing him.

I’m starting to realize I might have to do a lot of things I don’t want to do to save myself.

“Maxim is dead,” I say. “Jasper stabbed him.”

Anton doesn’t look at all concerned as he slinks back into his seat. “Maxim isn’t dead.”

For a moment, hope flares through me. “How do you know?”

“Because isn’t that the sound of his motorcycle right now?” He nods toward the entrance.

He’s right. A motorcycle can be heard over the waves. There’s no one else with a motorcycle who would come for me. Colin is dead, Sal doesn’t give one lick about me, and Rose doesn’t have a bike.

I stand up and run for the door, but Anton grabs me around the waist. “Maxim! Help!” I yell.

The sound of multiple footsteps comes running toward the door. Then Dimitri is there.

Soon followed by Maxim.

The sight of him alive makes me slump against Anton. I don’t have to fight so hard. Maxim is here to save me again.

“Shit,” Dimitri mutters when he sees Anton. “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“Improvising.”

Maxim’s eyes flick to Jasper and then back to me. “Are you hurt? Did he …”

“No. I knocked him out before he could.”

“Your girl here tied him up,” Anton explains. “Honestly, you should be impressed. I know I am, and she’s not even mine.”

“And she won’t be,” Maxim growls.

“I don’t want her ,” Anton says. “I want to make a deal.”

Dimitri scoffs. “Bullshit. You’re outnumbered, Anton. I can shoot you right now.” He lifts his gun.

“I mean, you could. But then you’d risk hurting Luna. Sure, you don’t care about her, but Maxim does. And if you kill me and she dies in the process, then Maxim will probably try to kill you, and there goes the end of your partnership. So, in a way, I’d win, even after death.”

“Lower your fucking gun,” Maxim hisses at Dimitri. After a moment, he does.

“What do you want?” Dimitri demands.

“What I want is simple. I want to work with you men. I want to be a part of the team.”

“No,” Dimitri says flatly.

“Hang on. Think about it. I can keep being a nuisance in your side, or you can work with me. We can gain more power than any of you, including Nik, could dream of. All you have to do is offer me something in return.”

“How about we don’t kill you?” Maxim asks.

“No. I’ll need more.”

“See,” Dimitri says, looking down at his gun, “I don’t trust you for shit, Anton. So, no. I don’t think we’ll be working with you.”

“That’s a shame. I didn’t want to have to do this.” He grabs the knife from my hands and places it to my throat.

Maxim takes one step forward. “If you kill her …”

“Oh, I don’t want to, Maxim. But here’s an idea. You can give your life up for her. I’ll settle for that. I’ll stop coming after you if you just … die.”

“No,” I whisper. “Don’t, Maxim. I thought you were dead. I can’t stand seeing you actually die right before me. It would kill me. I wouldn’t survive it.”

“But I can’t let him kill you.”

Dimitri raises his gun again. “Let Luna go, Anton, and we can talk. We can make another deal. Think of something else.”

“The Dimitri I knew would let his business partner take the fall.”

“Well, consider me a changed man. I won’t let you kill Maxim or Luna. So, just let her go.”

“But then you’ll shoot me.”

“Yeah, no shit.”

Anton tightens his arms around me, digging the knife into my neck. I gasp when I feel the sting of the blade cut into my skin. “I propose a deal,” Anton says.

“No,” Dimitri says.

“If I recall correctly, your sister insulted my mother, didn’t she? My mother, Katerina? Does that ring any bells?”

“I know Katya spoke out of turn, and it was stupid, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“I don’t take too kindly to people insulting my mother. You see, I could find your sister and kill her for that.”

“You fucking bastard.”

I can’t see Anton’s face from my position, but I can feel him smiling. “But I don’t want to have to do that. I’ve never met your sister, but I’ve heard she’s a bombshell.”

“Don’t talk about my sister, Anton.”

“I propose a deal. I’ll stop fighting with you all. I’ll end this war. No one has to die. I’ll let Luna go right this moment. Maxim, you won’t have to die today.”

Relief courses through me. If Maxim and I can make it out of this alive, I would be the happiest person in the world.

But Anton keeps speaking. “You all know you want to end this war. You know it’s a good idea to end it. You know you don’t want more bloodshed.” He sets his eyes on Maxim. “I know you, Maxim. You like to resolve things peacefully. That’s what I’ve been told. That’s what I’ve observed. So, we can end this peacefully. All you have to do”—he turns back to Dimitri— “is give me Katya’s hand in marriage.”

The room is deathly quiet.

Dimitri is a statue—an angry, red-faced statue. “I would rather die than let you get your hands on my sister.”

“Think about it, Dimitri. Men in our world make deals all the time like this. Women are used as pawns in these deals. Women are used as prizes. An arranged marriage is nothing new. You know this. You grew up with this. Hell, Nik bought his own wife. Even you forced your wife to marry you.”

“That was different,” he seethes.

“How? How was it any different?”

“I married Evie to protect her.”

“Right. And marrying Katya to me would protect everyone.”

“Except Katya,” Maxim says.

“I won’t hurt her. Ask Luna. What did I say earlier?”

I think back to what he said, and then it hits me. “He said he never raped a woman.”

“And I don’t intend to. I won’t beat Katya. I won’t lay a hand on her unless she wants me to. Think about it, Dimitri. If you give Katya to me in marriage, all this war can end. Evie will be safe.” He looks to Maxim. “Luna will be safe. You can tell Nik that Ava will be safe. It’s one small price to pay to end a war. And it’s all up to you, Dimitri. So … what do you say?”