Page 164 of Mafia and Scars

It rings once before Viktor picks up. “What’s wrong?” His deep rumble fills the SUV’s cabin, tense and alert.

“We’ve got a tail, boss,” Artyom says. “Unmarked black SUV. Been with us since we pulled out of the neighborhood.”

Viktor’s curse is loud and clear. “Do not lead them to a safe house. Just keep going like you planned. Understand?”

“Copy.”

The call ends abruptly.

Artyom checks the mirror again, then flicks the turn signal, changing lanes.

I peer over my shoulder, squinting through the back window.

The black SUV does the same lane change. It’s closer now. There’s just one car between us.

My pulse picks up. I curl my hands tighter in my lap to stop them from shaking. My heart pounds like it’s trying to kick through my ribs.

Is it the FSB? One of Gennady’s goons? Or is it another threat altogether—something to do with whatever Geliy was involved in?

I have no way to know

And that makes it worse.

A shaky breath leaves me. I’ve seen this play out before. It feels like a lifetime ago—in another car, with Geliy beside me, my hand shaking just as hard. Back then, it had been an enemy I never got the name of. They’d rammed the car, then tried to pull me from it. Geliy killed twoof them right there in the dust and broken glass. He hadn’t even blinked.

Artyom makes a sharp right down an exit toward the Strip, jostling me.

The black SUV follows.

He curses in Russian under his breath. No more cars are between us as we take the off-ramp. “They’re closing in.”

“Can you lose them?”

His expression is grim as he accelerates.

Outside the window, the city blurs. Street signs, glitter, and glam rush past in smears of color. My stomach lurches with the motion. I brace myself, gripping the leather seat as we swerve down a side street.

The SUV behind us doesn’t flinch or falter.

It’s like they know where we’re going.

“Miss!” Artyom barks, “Brace yourself! They’re going to try something.”

The edge in his voice twists the knife in my gut. My hand tightens as my heart lodges in my throat.

Then it happens.

We’re slammed into.

I’m thrown forward in my seat.

The SUV rear-ends us. Hard and sudden. Metal-on-metal shrieking as the back of their car shoves us violently.

I cry out, thrown against the seatbelt. It burns into my collarbone and shoulder.

They’re not just following us.

They’re trying to ram us off the road!