Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
We chat about her time abroad, and when the food comes, we jump from topic to topic while enjoying our lunch.
When the bill arrives, Katya grabs it first, saying, “My treat.” She wags her eyebrows at me. “You know, part payment of my bribe to get you to make me a dress.”
“I was joking. As soon as I’m done with the project I’m busy with, you can come over so I can take your measurements.”
“I can’t wait.”
Getting up, we walk to the door where we part ways. As I cross the street with Andrei, I say, “Thank you for coming with me today.”
There’s zero friendliness in his tone as he replies, “No worries.” I take another two steps, then suddenly, Andrei grabs hold of my arm, and he shoves me forward while snapping, “Move!”
Hearing engines revving loudly as they come tearing down the street, I don’t have time to glance around us. Andrei begins to run, dragging me along with him.
Dammit! This is the last time I’m wearing high heels.
We reach the Rolls-Royce, and he quickly yanks the passenger door open before shoving me inside. “Lock the doors! Whatever happens, do not get out.”
For a stupid moment I think he’s going to get in so we can speed away, but instead, he tosses the keys onto my lap and slams the door shut.
When I blink at Andrei in shock, he slams his fist against the window and leveling me with a dark look, he indicates to lock the car.
While I quickly press the fob, he spins around, blocking a punch, then he slams his fist into a man’s nose, making blood gush from his nostrils.
My God.
Seeing a group of easily ten men, my eyes almost bug out of my head and fear shudders through me.
Oh no!
They’re all armed with bats, crowbars, knives, and guns. The sight of all the weapons drains the blood from my face and makes a weird sensation of pins and needles creep over my skin.
Andrei moves incredibly fast, his fist hammering several times into a guy’s face, before ending him with a upper cut that’s hard enough to send him flying into two others.
Holy shit. I’ve never seen someone fight like that.
Turning, Andrei elbows another, then ducks and sweeps a man’s feet from under him.
While Andrei morphs into a ninja before my eyes, performing flying kicks and disabling one man after the other, I hurry to dig my phone out and dial Rodian’s number.
My breaths burst over my lips, and it takes another few seconds for my mind to catch up to what’s happening.
But then three men barrel toward Andrei at once, and I cry out, “Oh my God! Andrei!”
He grabs the first by the back of his neck and slams him face-first into the hood of the SUV, then he ducks again, kicking the second one in the knee. The man roars in pain as he goes down, writhing on the ground.
The third guy gets in punch after punch, forcing Andrei up against the side of the SUV, and they break the side mirror before Andrei knees the bastard in the crotch, making him fold like a house of cards.
I get a glimpse of Andrei’s ruthless expression, and the dead look in his almost black eyes, along with the slight curl of his lip, has shivers racing down my spine and the tiny hairs on my body rising.
Just as he pushes away from the SUV, gunshots crack through the air. One bounces off the window beside me, then Andrei’s right shoulder snaps back.
“Noooo!” I scream, and as another bullet hits him in the side, I reach for him, my hands slamming into the door.
A third bullet hits him in his abdomen, the impact throwing him backward.
In absolute horror, I scream, “Andrei!”
Men rush the Rolls-Royce, but they don’t even look at me. They grab Andrei and begin to punch him over and over, and once his head lolls to the side, they drag him away, while others gather the injured.
“Anastasia!” Rodian roars in my ear, reminding me I called him.
“Oh my God,” I sob. “They just shot Andrei. I think… I think there are around ten men. He tried so hard, but then they shot him.”
Tears stream down my face, and I feel so powerless as I watch them haul Andrei toward black vans.
“Just stay in the SUV. It’s armored,” Rodian says, his voice thick with worry and anger. “I’m on my way. Don’t move, Anastasia.”
I shake my head. “They don’t care about me. They’re taking Andrei!”
“I’m coming. Just stay in the car. I can track Andrei.” Rodian’s breaths are harsh, giving me the impression he’s running. “Tell me what else you see.”
“Three black vans.” Putting the call on speaker, I open the camera and start taking photos as they load Andrei into one of the vehicles. “I’m taking photos. I’ll try to get the number plates.”