Page 92 of Sexting the Bratva Beast

Not yet.

Not without a fight.

My brain kickstarts, bringing with it a wave of pain that threatens to swipe my legs out from under me if I give it any attention. “Hang on, Ivana.” I squeeze her hand and turn to my men. “We need to move her, but not like this.”

They nod once. They know the drill.

“Andrej?” Cartier is watching me closely. “Do you think we can save her?”

She’s focused on Ivana, and I’m grateful. That’s exactly how it should be. Cartier has the most beautiful soul of anyone I ever met, and it’s only right that she should stay true to herself and devote her attention to the woman who needs her right now.

“She’s strong.” She’s fading though, her essence flowing from her through the gaping hole in her chest. “If anyone can survive this, it’s Ivana.”

Cartier’s eyes narrow then drift to the blood on my sweater. “You’re hurt.” I hear the crack in her voice, see her deflate like a punctured ball. “Andrej? Please don’t?—”

I’m saved from succumbing to her scrutiny and her fear by the door bouncing open. The bodyguards have returned with a stretcher: a sheet wrapped around two strips of wood that they fetched from fuck knows where.

I pull Cartier onto her feet and stand aside to give them space to work. This is nothing they haven’t seen before. They set themakeshift stretcher down and lift Ivana onto it carefully, folding her arms across her chest as if she’s already a corpse. Then on a mutual count to three, they lift.

Cartier’s head rests against my chest, her body wracked with silent years. “Sh-she protected me, Andrej. She didn’t let him take me.”

I fold my arms around her and inhale her coconut shampoo scent. I should be the one holding her up, supporting her, promising her that it’s all over, that nothing like this will ever happen again. But instead, she lifts her head, places both hands on my chest, and peers at me as the world starts to blur.

“Help me!” I think she’s talking to me, but two more men enter the room, and then my feet are no longer touching the ground.

“Andrej!”

I’m flying. Not like an eagle, swooping above fields and rooftops in search of prey, but like a penguin on a slippery slope to a bottomless black hole, flapping, squawking, trying to clamber back to safety.

I follow the sound of her voice. “Andrej. Please don’t die. You can’t die; you just asked me to marry you.”

She makes me smile. Always. Although, I’m not sure if my mouth is aligned with my thoughts right now.

I reach for her hand. Warm. Wet. Blood.

“I’m here, Andrej. I’m right here.”

This shouldn’t be happening to me. I’m an Ivanov. We’re invincible. I try to latch onto my brother’s motto, something about immortality, but the words have faded over time, or I’veforgotten them. I need to get them back. Those words, Leonid’s motto, will keep me alive.

“Cartier…”Where did my voice go?“Find them.”

“Find them? Who do you want me to find, Andrej?”

“I’m immortal…”

“Yes!”Is she crying?“You are immortal, Andrej. You’d better believe it.”

I’m smiling now…

Cool air hits my face. I’m shivering, teeth chattering, pain in my chest…

Flashing lights.

Voices.

Then nothing…

I hearvoices before I’m fully awake.