Page 141 of Royal Bargain

He shot her.

“STAND DOWN!” Anatoly roars, voice cracking through the chaos like a whip.

The bullets stop. Just for a second. Like the whole room is holding its breath.

And then, more Russians flood in.

I hear the heavy footfalls, the clatter of boots on concrete. See the red armbands, the raised rifles.

My stomach drops.

We’re outnumbered.

Badly.

Rory steps up beside me, his jaw tight, gun raised but not firing. “We need to get out,” he mutters. “Now.”

Dariy stalks forward, weapon still hot in his hand, face twisted with rage. “She’s lying!” he shouts at Anatoly, ignoring us. “She’s been feeding information to the Irish—sabotaging everything. And now you’re protecting her?”

“You SHOT my daughter,” Anatoly snarls, livid. “You don’t get to lecture me about loyalty.”

“I shot a traitor.” Dariy points at Ana like she’s filth on the floor. “She ran to them. She fucked one of them.”

I step out from cover, pulse thrumming. “Say it again,” I dare him, low and lethal. “Say her name again like that, and I swear to God, I will kill you where you stand.”

Dariy lifts his chin. “You think you’re gonna walk out of here, Brannagan? You and your brothers? You’re surrounded.”

I glance around. He’s not wrong.

The factory’s filling up fast. Russian soldiers shoulder-to-shoulder. The Irish look small now—cornered. The standoff is slipping.

And Ana’s still on the ground. Bleeding.

I can’t let it end here. Not like this.

Anatoly lifts his hand. For a second, I think he’s about to give the order—to finish us off.

Instead, he lowers his weapon.

“Enough.” His voice cuts through the tension like a scalpel. “This ends now.”

His men hesitate. Dariy doesn’t move.

“I said stand down,” Anatoly snaps, turning his full fury on Dariy. “Or I’ll put a bullet in your skull and leave you to rot with the rats.”

Dariy steps forward, shoulders squared, voice rising. “You’re letting her get inside your head. You think she came back because she loves you? Because she’s loyal?” He gestures wildly toward Ana, still groaning on the floor. “She ran to them! She sold us out! She’s been feeding them everything—she’s playing you like a fucking?—”

“Enough.”

Anatoly’s voice isn’t loud, but it’s sharp enough to cut through steel. His gaze pins Dariy in place.

“You will not stand here and slander my child.” His words drip with venom. “Not in front of me. Not after you put a bullet in her.”

“But she’s manipulating you!” Dariy snarls. “You don’t see it! You can’t see it, not when she looks at you like… like she still gives a damn about this family. You think she hasn’t picked a side? Look where she’s lying, Anatoly!”

My fists clench. If he says one more word?—

“I said shut your mouth,” Anatoly growls, stepping toward him.