“Me first.”

Aleks steps up behind me and it takes my attention off his father just long enough for Leonid to pull a gun from his jacket. The searing punch of the bullet’s impact knocks me off my feet.

“Son, help me!” Leonid’s writhing on the ground, still clutching his pistol. “My boy…”

There’s a haze of agony that’s making it hard for me to concentrate. Aleks raises his gun and shoots his father in the shoulder, making him drop his gun.

“Go get it,” he tells Meiying. She’s staring at him, shocked, but she’s over by Leonid and grabbing his weapon in moments.

“You taught me otets, father, that there is only one way to rule over a Bratva. With fear. I intend to follow your example by being the most ruthless Pakhan our family has seen.” Aleks shoots his father again. And again, each time inflicting the maximum amount of pain as the old man screams and writhes. When the floor is covered in his father’s blood, he stands over him, smiling. “And this one is for moya mat', my mother.” 

The Glock Aleks is using packs a powerful punch, and there’s not much left of Leonid’s head. Jun looks a little green, but Meiying is looking at Aleks with appreciation.

“Gentle giant my ass, I knew you had it in you.”

Aleks looks over at me. “Oh, fuck!” He scrambles over, ripping a throw blanket off the couch and pressing it to my neck and shoulder. “Fuck!” he roars. “Get the medic! Hurry!”

I see Meiying’s frantic face; her hands are pushing on me and I close my eyes. Just for a minute.

Chapter Thirty-Four

In which Tatiana will not let go.

James Arthur - Say You Won't Let Go

Tatiana…

Lev has to almost physically hold me down to keep me from racing into the compound when the shooting dies down.

“We can go in, damn it! I need to see Lucca! What about my brothers? What is Alexi saying?” Lev is holding me back against my seat in the jeep, listening to the chatter in the lodge. 

“Bud' spokoyen, be quiet!” Lev snaps, “I’m trying to hear him!” 

Grinding my teeth, I sit in silence, staring at the twisted wreckage of the gates. Fortunately for us, Leonid doesn’t want any close-by neighbors who might witness his dirty dealings, so it’s quiet around us.

“Your brothers are safe,” Lev announced.

“Oh, thank god,” I gasped. I want to scream. Or cry. Or both. The huge weight I’ve carried since that night when Lev shook me awake has disappeared. “What about Lucca? And our friends? Is everyone okay?”

He’s relaying the question to Alexi and his expression changes. “We need to go.” He starts the jeep - finally! - and races down from the group of trees where we’d been hiding since they blew up my vantage point.

“What’s the matter?” He won’t look at me. “Talk to me! Is someone hurt? Who?” Lev focuses on the road, weaving around some damage from the explosion as he races through the shattered gates. I hang onto my seatbelt strap, and terror grips my throat, making me breathless. “Is it Lucca? Lev? Is it Lucca?”

The second he hits the brakes, I’m out of the jeep, running for the front door. “Tati! Damn it, wait for me!” His voice is fading like radio static and I don’t pay any attention. 

“Lucca!” I’m shouting as I run and men, some cradling bloody limbs look up as I pass. Turning a circle in Leonid's ridiculous, ostentatious hall I scream it again. “Lucca!”

Mariya hurries down the stairs. “With me,” she says, seizing my hand and racing back up. I faintly hear someone calling my name behind me but it doesn’t matter, none of it matters. Where is he? She pulls me down one hall and makes a right. My lips keep forming “Lucca…” but I don’t think I’m making any sound.

Blood. There’s so much. Pooling on the marble floor, splashed on the furniture and what’s left of Aleksandr’s father is lying next to the desk.

Lucca is on the couch, his blood is a shocking, vivid red against the pale-yellow silk upholstery. Aleks is pressing a wad of cloth against his shoulder and neck. I grab Lucca’s hand.

“...through his shoulder… nicked a… doctor…” Mariya is trying to tell me something, her voice low and earnest.

“Moy lyubimyy, my beloved,” I said, kissing his pale face. “Hold my hand. Hold it tight. I won’t let go of you, you won’t go, I won’t let you, just hold my hand. Keep holding it tight, I’ve got you.”

There’s another presence in the room, feminine, I can smell lavender and a soft voice speaks over my monologue. “I’m a doctor, Tatiana. I’ll take care of him. Just keep holding his hand.”

“Don’t let go of my hand, Lucca. I love you. I won’t let you go, hold on. Hold tighter…”

“He’s stable.”

Those are the first words I’ve understood. Everyone keeps trying to talk to me, hands trying to pull me away and I scream and hit at them until they leave me alone.

“Tatiana?” It’s the woman’s voice again. “He’s stable, he’ll be okay. Do you understand me?”

Pulling my gaze away from Lucca, I blink and try to focus. The woman looks so kind. She has a stethoscope around her neck and she doesn’t seem too upset by having Lucca’s blood on her.

“I’m Dr. Ella Morozova,” she said kindly, “I’m Maksim’s wife, he’s downstairs with Alexi. Lucca took a bullet to the shoulder; it clipped the subclavian artery. I’ve stopped the bleeding and stabilized his blood pressure. He didn’t go into shock, which is good. He has another wound in his left thigh, but that bullet went through.” She cocked her head. “Are you with me so far?”

I nodded. Probably too much because I’m a little dizzy but I want her to know I get it. Lucca’s going to be okay. “Why is he still unconscious?”

“From the blood loss,” she said, “but that’s not a bad thing, since I had to do a little emergency surgery, extracting the bullet, and cauterizing the artery. It’s probably better that he wasn’t awake for that.” Ella smiled at me, patting my arm. I like her.

“Okay, that’s good,” I said, still gripping his hand. “We can work with that. I have the same blood type. We’re both B-negative. You can do a transfusion.”

Her brow rose. “I was planning to wait until we could get him to a clinic, but it would be much easier on him if we gave him a couple of pints here before transporting him. I’ll get the equipment.”

“How did you know his blood type?” It was Mariya, crouching next to me with a warm smile.

“We talked about it once,” I said, still staring at his face.

“Who knew Lucca was capable of having a conversation instead of fucking all the-” Kon was cut off by Lev.

“Your brothers are here,” Lev murmured, “They’ve been trying to speak with you, but…” 

“Thank you,” I whisper, “screaming and hitting them would be a terrible reunion moment.”

“Oh, you did hit me,” said Ilia, resting his arms on the back of the couch. “I forgive you.” 

“Bozhe moy, oh, my god! I’m sorry,” I said, hugging him with one arm. It’s awkward, but I’m not letting go of Lucca’s hand.

“Tati…” Roman is next, kissing me on the cheek. “You were the sniper?” His tone is disbelieving.

“She was,” came a weak voice. “She took down eight guards, three through a solid stone wall before they found her position. They set up a rocket launcher and she still wouldn’t leave until she took down the last guard so we could get through the gates. She barely escaped being blown to hell.”