Page 96 of Hunt Me

“This is going to hurt.”

Iris nods, bracing herself for what’s coming.

I pour antiseptic directly into the wound.

She doesn’t scream. Just bites down hard enough that I hear her teeth grind together, her muscles tending against the pain. I work quickly, wrapping the bandage tight enough to stop the bleeding without cutting off circulation.

“You’re okay.” I keep my voice steady despite the adrenaline flooding my system. “It’s clean. You got lucky.”

“You don’t say.” She leans into me, but I notice how her eyes keep drifting back to her friend, Maya.

Nikolai takes a hard left, pushing the SUV into dangerous territory traffic-wise.

“We just declared war on the federal government,” he declares.

“I know,” I murmur.

“They’ll come for us.” Erik’s voice from the back seat is flat. “Full force.”

I know. We all know.

Dmitri shifts forward. “We’ve crossed lines before. But never?—”

“I know what we did.” I finally look up. Meet Nikolai’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “And I’d do it again.”

Nikolai’s jaw tightens as he merges onto the highway, keeping the speed exactly at the limit, but he doesn’t argue because he would do the same for Sofia.

Iris shivers against me. Shock is setting in.

I pull her closer, being careful of her shoulder. “Stay with me,detka.”

“Not going anywhere.”

“Good.”

“We need somewhere secure.” Nikolai’s knuckles are white on the steering wheel. “Penthouse is compromised. They’ll have warrants within the hour.”

“What about the safe house in Brookline?” Dmitri pulls out his phone.

“Too close.” Erik leans forward. “They’ll sweep the entire metro area.”

I press my forehead against Iris’s hair, breathing her in. Thankful that she’s here and alive, even if she is bleeding.

“The compound,” I suggest.

Silence fills the SUV.

The compound sits forty miles north. It’s fortified and isolated. Built for exactly this kind of emergency.

“Sofia’s there.” Nikolai’s voice carries an edge. “With Tash and Katarina.”

I know what he’s thinking. We’re bringing a war to their doorstep.

“They’ll be safer with us.” I adjust the bandage on Iris’s shoulder, hating when I see fresh blood seep through. “Federal agents don’t attack fortified compounds without preparation. Paperwork. Authorization. Time.”

“Time we need.” Dmitri’s already texting. “I’ll have our lawyers file injunctions to slow them down.”

Erik pulls a gun from the hidden compartment and checks the magazine. “How many guards are on site?”