Page 108 of Doomed

Landon takes point, checking the hallway before motioning us forward. I keep Bianca between us, every muscle coiled and ready to shield her from any threat. We move swiftly down the corridor, every sense heightened.

“Two minutes,” Landon whispers, checking his watch.

My free hand hovers near my weapon, but having Bianca’s fingers intertwined with mine grounds me in a way I’ve never experienced before. The fear that had been consuming me since I found my apartment empty has transformed into a fierce, protective focus.

Through the comms, I hear Xavier’s voice: “Diversion starts in sixty seconds. Status?”

“Bianca secured,” I respond quietly. “Moving to the extraction point.”

“Copy that,” Xavier confirms.

As we descend the stairs, I catch glimpses of Bianca’s profile in the dim light. She’s here. She’s safe. She’s mine. The reality of it washes over me in waves, each one stronger than the last.

I’ve killed men without hesitation. I’ve orchestrated deals worth millions without breaking a sweat. But nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to the overwhelming relief coursing through me right now.

This woman has changed a fundamental part of me. The emptiness in my chest when I thought I might lose her was unbearable. Now, with her hand in mine, I feel invincible again.

I’ve never needed anyone. But I need her. I need her safe. I need her to be happy. I need her to be mine.

37

BIANCA

My heart hammers against my ribs as we slip through the service entrance. The cool night air hits my face like freedom, but it’s short-lived.

“Down!” Knox shouts and yanks me to the ground as a spotlight sweeps over the area.

We crawl behind a row of hedges, my dress catching on branches. Knox’s hand stays firmly clasped around mine. The heavy thuds of boots approach from around the corner.

“Almost there,” Landon whispers, pointing toward a gate barely visible in the darkness. “Vane’s waiting with the car just beyond?—”

“Ostanovites!” A shout cuts through the night. “Stop or I shoot!”

Three guards emerge from the shadows, guns raised. One speaks rapid Russian into his radio. My blood freezes as their flashlight beams find us, pinning us like insects. Knox pushes me behind him, but we’re surrounded.

“Put your weapons down,” the tallest guard orders in heavily accented English.

Knox and Landon exchange glances. The tension crackles like electricity. Four more guards appear from the other direction. We’re trapped.

“I don’t think so,” Knox says calmly.

Everything happens at once. Landon lunges for the nearest guard while Knox tackles another. The third aims his gun at Knox’s back.

I don’t think—I react. Grabbing a heavy garden statue, I swing with all my strength. It connects with the guard’s head with a sickening crack. His gun follows his body to the ground. I kick it away just in case he comes to.

“Bianca, down!” Knox shouts.

I drop as a bullet whizzes overhead. Adrenaline floods my system, everything moving in vivid clarity. I scramble for the fallen gun, fingers closing around cold metal. I’ve never held one before, but I point it at an approaching guard, hands shaking but determined.

“Back off,” I warn, surprising myself with how steady my voice sounds.

Knox dispatches his opponent with brutal efficiency, then turns to help me. “Hold it like this,” he adjusts my grip, voice tense but proud. “That’s my girl.”

A guard charges toward us. Without hesitation, Knox pushes the gun down. “Not yet. This way.” He grabs my hand and we sprint toward the gate, dodging bullets that ping against the metal fence beside us.

Vane and Xavier are already ahead, sprinting toward a black SUV with tinted windows.

“Move!” Knox pushes me forward, his hand firm against my lower back. “We need to catch them!”