Page 47 of Empire of Lies and Flames (Ruins of Power #1)

JAVIER

The air inside the building was thick with the stench of burnt metal and plaster. Smoke hung low in the hallway, a gray shroud broken only by the sharp flashes of gunfire echoing from farther down. My steps were silent, and calculated, but every nerve in my body screamed to move faster, to find her.

I gripped my gun tightly, my knuckles white, as Hael’s men cleared the path ahead. The detonations had done their job—walls were crumbling, Vincent’s men disoriented—but this wasn’t over. Not until I had her.

“Room’s up ahead,” Hael muttered, falling in step beside me. His voice was steady, but I caught the tension in his jaw.

“I’ll handle Vincent,” I said coldly, my voice a blade cutting through the chaos. Hael didn’t argue, just nodded, signaling his men to flank the door. Aeros followed at my six, silent as a ghost.

And honestly, seeing them so up close, I wouldn’t want to make an enemy of them.

The door was reinforced steel. Of course, it was. Vincent always thought he was untouchable. I motioned for explosives, and one of Hael’s men stepped forward, planting a shaped charge with practiced precision.

“Blow it,” I ordered, taking a step back.

The explosion was deafening, the door blasted inward with a roar. Shrapnel flew everywhere, and smoke poured into the room.

I didn’t wait.

Gun drawn, I was through the doorway before the dust settled, my eyes locking immediately on her.

Renée.

And then I saw him—Vincent—flashing me that damn grin, wide and smug, as he dragged Renee through the door at the other end of the room.

“Renee!” I shouted, my voice raw, but he didn’t even glance back.

I bolted after them, my boots pounding against the floor, but a hail of bullets cut me short. I dove for cover, the air thick with gunfire and the acrid stench of gunpowder.

“Go after them!” Hael barked, his tone sharp and commanding. He crouched behind a toppled table, returning fire with precision. “We’ll handle this!”

Aeros grabbed me by the collar before I could move, dragging me close enough for his snarled words to cut through the chaos. “Make sure Renee doesn’t have a single scratch on her,” he growled, his voice low and deadly. “Or I’ll drag you to hell myself, and Vincent will be there to greet you.”

He shoved me forward, and without wasting another second. I sprinted toward the door as they cleared a path for me, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might break free of my ribs.

The hallway stretched ahead, long and dimly lit, each step feeling heavier as dread clawed at my chest. I kicked open doors one by one, each one revealing nothing but emptiness, frustration mounting with every second Renee wasn’t in my sight.

I’d have a goddamn heart attack if I didn’t find her soon.

Finally, at the end of the hallway, I kicked open another door—and there she was.

Renée.

She was tied to a chair, her face pale but her eyes sharp and calculating. Relief washed over me, loosening the tight coil in my chest, but it was fleeting.

The cold press of a gun barrel against the back of my head stole my breath.

“Careful now,” Vincent’s voice cooed, smooth and venomous. “Wouldn’t want this to end too quickly, would we?”

I froze my mind racing, weighing my options as Vincent stepped into view, his ever-present grin stretched across his face. He looked like he was enjoying himself like this was just another game.

“I could’ve killed you the moment you stepped into this building,” he continued, circling me like a predator. “But that would’ve been too easy. Too kind.” He leaned in, his breath hot against my ear. “And mercy, Javier, isn’t something I have in abundance.”

“You really need to work on your monologues,” I said, my voice cold. “They’re starting to get predictable.”

His grin widened, and his teeth bared like a wolf. “Oh, you think you’re clever? Let me tell you how this is going to go. First, I’m going to kill you. Slowly. Painfully. You’re going to beg me to stop, and I’ll laugh as I carve every ounce of regret into your flesh. And then—” He paused, savoring the moment. “I’ll make your little girlfriend my slave. Should I keep you alive so you can watch? Or maybe I’ll fuck her right in front of you until she stops breathing. What do you think, Javier?”

My fists clenched, rage boiling under my skin, but I forced myself to stay still, to keep my voice steady. “You’re going to do a lot of talking for a guy who’s going to be eating through a straw in five minutes.”

His grin faltered, just a flicker, and I saw it—the flash of movement out of the corner of my eye. Renee was working her wrists free, her hands inching toward the knife she’d managed to snag from God knows where.

I met her eyes, just for a second, and gave her the faintest nod.

“You really think you’re in control here, don’t you?” I said, drawing Vincent’s attention back to me, fueling his anger. “Big bad Vincent, all bark and no bite. That’s why your son was so easy to get rid of.”

“Shut your mouth!” His smile was gone now, his eyes blazing with fury. He pressed the gun harder against my skull.

I chuckled. “Did you see the video I had sent you? I’m sure you did. Did you like it?”

“Not. Another. Word!” He screamed.

“That reminds me, did you wonder what happened to his other ball?” I smirked. “I still have it if you want it.”

“Say another word, and I’ll—”

A blade flashed through the air, grazing Vincent’s arm. He stumbled back with a curse, the knife clattering to the ground.

“Oops,” Renée said, her voice dripping with mock innocence. “Was that your favorite arm?”

Vincent roared in fury and fired.

Renee dove out of the chair, rolling to the side as the bullet struck the wall where she’d been a second ago.

I didn’t think—I moved. Spinning on my heel, I drove my foot hard into Vincent’s chest. The impact sent him staggering back with a grunt, his gun firing wildly. The deafening crack of the shot rang in my ears, the bullet grazing past my shoulder, but there was no time to hesitate. I lunged for Renée, grabbing her and pulling her behind the closest cover just as Vincent’s gun barked again, the bullet splintering the wall inches from where we had been.

“Renée,” I breathed, my voice tight with urgency. “Are you okay?” My eyes scanned her frantically, searching for any sign of injury. Her wrists were raw where the ropes had bitten into her skin, bruises darkened her arms and neck, and her hair was disheveled from the struggle. The sight of her like this—hurt, vulnerable—stoked a fire of rage deep in my chest, but I forced it down. Aside from the bruises, she seemed unharmed.

“I’m fine,” she replied, rolling her eyes, though the faint tremor in her hands betrayed her nerves. “Took your sweet time, though.”

A sharp, incredulous laugh escaped me before I could stop it. “You’re welcome,” I shot back dryly. “And remind me to teach you how to sit still and not pull a reckless stunt like that next time.” I leaned out of cover just enough to fire off two quick shots in Vincent’s direction. One brushed past his calf, forcing him to take cover.

Her expression hardened instantly, her chin jutting out in defiance. “I just saved your life, in case you forgot,” she snapped, clearly offended.

I couldn’t help it—a grin tugged at my lips despite the chaos erupting around us. God, she was impossible. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“And you’re insufferable,” she retorted, her narrowed eyes flashing with fire.

For a moment, I just stared at her, my heart pounding like a war drum in my chest. Her breathing was quick and shallow, her body pressed against mine as we crouched behind the overturned table that offered scant protection. I could feel her heartbeat racing just as fast as mine, her unyielding defiance burning bright even now, even with death breathing down our necks.

“We’re cornered,” she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I noticed,” I replied, keeping my eyes trained on the sliver of space between the table and the floor, watching for Vincent’s boots as they drew closer.

Her hand found my arm, gripping tight. “If you’ve got a brilliant plan, now would be the time to share it.”

“I’m working on it,” I said through gritted teeth, glancing at the empty gun in my hand.

Her eyes flicked to the weapon, then back to me. “Great. I’m sure thinking real hard will get us out of this.”

I almost laughed—almost. The tension was suffocating, every breath heavy with the smell of gunpowder and blood. Vincent’s voice rang out again, sharp and mocking.

“What’s the matter, Javier?” he taunted, his footsteps echoing closer. “Run out of bullets? Run out of ideas? You’re always so damn clever, aren’t you? Always one step ahead. Let’s see how clever you are when I paint the walls with both of you!”

Another shot blasted, tearing through the edge of the table. Splinters rained down, biting into my skin, but I didn’t flinch. I couldn’t afford to.

“You’ve got two options,” Renée whispered, her lips so close to my ear that her breath sent shivers down my spine. “We either run for it or...well, that’s pretty much it.”

“Run where?” I hissed back, gesturing toward the windows that loomed like a silent death sentence. “We’re six stories up.”

“Better than getting shot point-blank,” she retorted.

“I don’t like those odds.”

“Since when have you liked any odds?” she fired back, her sharp tone tempered only by the faintest trace of a smile tugging at her lips.

Vincent’s footsteps stopped. Silence. That was worse.

“Javier,” Vincent called, his voice cold and almost amused. “Do you know what the best part of this is? Watching you squirm. Watching you realize that this time, you’ve got nowhere to run. No tricks left up your sleeve. Just you, her, and a whole lot of regret.”

My jaw tightened, fury rising in me like a storm. I met Renée’s gaze, her defiant eyes daring me to think of something—anything.

“Whatever happens,” I said quietly, “stay close to me.”

She nodded, her hand sliding down to grab mine.

And then Vincent’s shadow loomed over the edge of the table.

“I’m gonna enjoy this,” he sneered.

Before I could think, I surged forward, grabbing the edge of the table and flipping it upward with all the strength I had left. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to knock him back a step, enough to give us a sliver of an opening.

“Run!” I shouted, yanking Renée to her feet as Vincent cursed behind us.

We bolted, our footsteps pounding against the floor as Vincent fired blindly, the sound of gunfire chasing us down the hall.

“This is your plan?” Renée yelled, her voice breathless but sharp.

“Improvising!” I shot back, pulling her around the corner.

“That’s not a plan!”

“It’s working, isn’t it?”

Another gunshot cracked behind us, so close I could feel the air shift.

“You call this working ?” she snapped.

“Better than dying!”

“For now,” she muttered, but there was a glint of determination in her eyes.

Vincent’s laughter echoed behind us, chilling and unhinged. “Run all you want! I’ll catch you eventually. And when I do, there’ll be no more running. No more games!”

I glanced back over my shoulder, my grip tightening on Renée’s hand. We didn’t have much time, but I’d be damned if I let Vincent win.

Just then, a bullet tore into my shoulder, the sharp, searing pain exploding through me as it punched clean out the other side.

“Javier!” Renée screamed. I stumbled forward, the world tilting violently as I fell face-first to the floor.

“No! Javier!”

I forced myself up onto one knee, clutching the wound with one hand. The blood was warm, sticky, and flowing far too fast. The wall ahead loomed like a final barrier, while Vincent’s relentless footsteps echoed closer behind us.

But we just needed to hold on. Hael and Aeros would come. They had to.

And then, as if by sheer miracle, I spotted the door to the stairs.

“I'm fine,” I rasped, though my vision wavered. I motioned toward the stairs with a weak wave. “Keep running. Your brothers are here too—go. Get help.”

“You’re fucking crazy if you think I’m leaving you like this,” Renée snapped.

“How long do you plan on running, Javier?” Vincent’s voice bellowed as he casually strolled towards us, his tone teetering between rage and cruel satisfaction. “You really think you’re getting out of this alive? You’re delusional!”

Renée ignored him and dragged me toward a nearby console table, sitting me down against it. Her trembling hands hovered over my wound, her face pale with helpless panic.

“You’re bleeding so much,” she muttered, her voice cracking. Her wide, frantic eyes darted from my shoulder to my face as if searching for a solution. “We… we need to stop the bleeding.”

“Well, isn’t this a touching sight?” Vincent’s voice taunted. “She’s playing nurse while you bleed out like a dog. But let’s not drag this out—I’ve got places to be.”

Renée flinched, her lip trembling as her hands pressed desperately around my shoulder. Her panic was breaking my heart into pieces, sharper than any bullet could.

I reached up, brushing a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. My thumb lingered against her cheek as I murmured, “Renée,” I smiled. “If we get out of this alive, I swear—I’ll spend every single day proving how much you mean to me. I’ll make it right. I’ll give you everything I’ve got. Everything.”

Her lips parted, tears spilling over as she choked out. “Javier…”

I cut her off with a grin. “I love you.”

But before she could say another word, the cold press of a gun barrel settled against the back of my head.

“How romantic,” Vincent purred, his sinister amusement sending a chill down my spine. “Pouring your pathetic little heart out in your last moments. Almost makes me regret killing you. Almost.”

I froze, my muscles locking as his finger tightened on the trigger.

Click.

The sharp, deafening sound of an empty chamber snapped through the air.

No bullet.

I turned my head slightly, just enough to see Vincent’s face, his grin faltering as confusion flickered through his cold, menacing eyes.

“You’re out,” I said, my lips curling into a small smile.

His grin twisted into a furious snarl. He pulled the trigger again. Click.

And again. Click.

“Fucking—” He cursed, stepping back frantically.

And then it came—the sharp, unmistakable crack of a gunshot.

Vincent froze mid-step and we stared at each other. A second later, his eyes grew wide. Blood spread like ink across his shirt. His head snapped toward the doorway, and so did mine.

Hael stood there, his gun lowered, his expression cold, the corner of his lip twisting into a smirk. Aeros casually strolled in, the gun spinning on his fingers.

Vincent staggered, his knees buckling as he pressed a trembling hand against his wound. He looked at me one last time, his lips parting as though to speak. But no words came.

And then, like a felled giant, he collapsed.