Page 46 of Sweet Deception

“Okay.” I ended the call. My emotions splintered inside me. I wanted... no, I needed to go home. To be with her until she was better.

But I couldn’t.

If I walked away now, it would be seen as weakness. And if we let these men go unpunished, others would think they could cheat us, too.

I was about to speak when a shot rang out.

I ducked, drawing my gun.

My phone vibrated again. I fired a shot, taking cover. The screen flashed Zoya’s name.

I almost ignored it. Almost.

But then...

“Gleb...”

Anna’s voice.

“Please,” she whispered. “If you’re not too far... can you come home?”

I clenched my jaw. “Why?” My voice was ice.

“I’m so weak,” she breathed. “I’m burning up. I feel like I might die.”

A bullet whizzed past my right ear. Too close. Someone had locked onto my position.

“You’ll be fine,” I muttered.

“I don’t know if you even care, but... please. I need you. Or would you rather see me dead?”

Dead?

I was in the middle of a war. One that could end me first.

“I’m not leaving this for you, woman,” I lied.

The silence on the other end stretched. I could hear her soft cries. It cut through me more than any bullet ever could.

With a growl, I switched positions, lining up my shot. My finger squeezed the trigger. Another one down.

Two of my men were dead, but most of theirs had fallen. Three were trying to retreat, scrambling toward their van.

I bent down, grabbed a rifle off one of the Chicago corpses, and raised it. My phone was still pressed to my ear, Anna’s quiet sobs echoing in the background.

Rage burned through me. I aimed at the van.

“Don’t let them escape,” I snarled. “Fire!”

Bullets tore through the night. The van’s tires burst, but the engine roared to life.

I reloaded. Fired again. And then...

Boom.

The explosion rocked the air, flames consuming the vehicle. The remaining Chicago men were no more.

Sweat dripped down my face. My muscles ached from the adrenaline.