Page 32 of Dangerous Liaisons
“That’s not now.”
“Xavier…”
“I know what you’re trying to do. That’s not what I want, and I don’t think it’s what you want either.”
“It hasn’t mattered what I want for a very long time.”
“We can change that. I understand the sacrifices you’re making, but this doesn’t have to be one of them. We don’t have to feel regret for either of us. I’m fucking tired of having those.”
Her heart was breaking, wanting nothing more than to throw her inhibitions to the wind and believe what he was saying. She wanted to trust her feelings, but the reality of her life was too much to ignore.
“We continue down this road, and we will only experience pain and tragedy.” She pressed her hands against his chest and willed herself to ignore the steady beating of his heart.
“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I love you, Isabella.”
Staring at him with wide eyes, her words stuck in her throat. The winery door swinging open cut off her response.
“Alexie?”
He said nothing, and a brief flash of panic went through her as Xavier shifted himself in front of her. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and it was then she knew they weren’t alone. Her hand shot out to grab onto the back of Xavier’s kutte even as she turned her head toward the two men that appeared behind them.
Dressed in all black, they wore motorcycle vests, but she knew they were not members of a MC she was familiar with in the area. For a split second, she flashed back to Alexander’s warning about Diego Martinez.
“We’re only here for her,” spoke a blonde man with braids on the sides of his head, directing his gaze at Xavier, “and we’ll kill you to get what we want.”
He maneuvered her between his body and the table behind them. “I’m not the one dying today. You’re not fucking touching her.”
Alexie took a confident stride forward. “Be smart and release her.”
“Alexie, think twice before you decide your fate.” Her eyes darted between the men. “Sergei will demand your head for such treason, but I will promiselenience in your punishment.”
“Such an offer shows your weakness. You are not worthy of the honor of the power Nikolai bestowed upon you. It is time the bloodline ended and made room for a new empire. It has been coming since the day of his death. I have waited long enough.”
The sound of gunfire in the bar, followed by screams of terror, stopped her heart. Xavier reacted when the gunfire continued in rapid succession, moving to flip the table and push her behind it. The two men opened fire, fragments of the table flying up in the air as the second bullets pelted the wood. Isabella screamed, covering her head with her hands as Xavier pushed her down, his own Glock 17 in his hand, to return fire. She caught sight of Alexie striding toward the table, but he stopped as the door swung open and banged against the wall. Igor came barreling through, gun drawn. He pivoted with his gun, an aimed shot hitting the bodyguard in the chest and sending him collapsing onto the floor.
Xavier fired, and Alexie dropped dead, not moving as blood poured out on the floor.
“Get down!” Hunter appeared in the doorway, followed by another one of her men to return fire at the two men firing. One grunted at being shot in the shoulder and fell, the other scrambled toward the back door they had entered.
Hunter stormed past them, his face full of anger, and he snarled as he put a boot on the man’s chest, the blondestammering with his hands raised. He didn’t hesitate, and he pulled the trigger. The man slump dead onto the floor before he lowered his weapon and glanced over his shoulder. “Zay! Zay, you good? Either of you hit?”
“I’m good, Brother!” Xavier shoved his gun into his kutte. “Baby, are you okay? Are you hit?”
“No, no, I’m…” Staring at Alexie’s body, she tried to control her shaking. “I’m okay. I’m not hurt.”
He helped her to her feet. Ava entered the winery, and she found she couldn’t look away from the sight of the woman covered in blood, her cold gaze sweeping the chaos of the room before it settled on her. There was a detachment there she had never seen before in the woman. It sent an icy shiver down her spine.
Ava looked at Hunter, barely glancing at the body at his feet. “Eddie was hit in the shoulder, but he’s okay. There’s a few dead, but none of our guys; we’ve got minor injuries. Becka’s dealing with a civilian that was shot in the leg. Cam’s called an ambulance.”
Coming out of her daze, Isabella ran over to Igor, the man pushing himself up from the floor with a groan of pain. “Slow,” she instructed him in Russian. “Give yourself a moment. We will get you some help.” She ignored the way her hands shook and maneuvered him into a sitting positionagainst the wall.
“Isabella!” Sergei shoved his way into the room, Kira not far behind him. His shoulders relaxed when he spotted her. “You are unhurt?”
“Da, I am fine. Kira, get Igor to the car.”
Sergei glanced over at Alexie; his eyes dark as a frown appeared on his features.
“He was with them.” Isabella rose to her feet while Kira tended to Igor, muttering to him in Russian. “They were here for me and to kill as many as they could. This was plotted for some time.”