Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90084 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 450(@200wpm)___ 360(@250wpm)___ 300(@300wpm)
We get out of the shower together, finally clean, and my phone’s ringing on the nightstand. I hurry over to grab it, since nobody calls me this early. The screen says it’s one of my guards, and I realize with a start that he’s supposed to be on duty at Miriam’s house, Karine’s mother.
“Pakhan,” he says, sounding breathless, a young man named Alexei. “I’m sorry to bother you so early, but—”
“What’s wrong, boy? Say it fast.”
“The woman’s house is on fire.”
I turn around and stare at Karine, my heart hammering into my throat. “How? When? Is the woman alive?”
“Just now. Igor’s dead. Some men came and we tried to stop them, but—”
“What happened to you?”
“I’m shot, Pakhan. I’m in the backyard, bleeding.”
And he still called. He’s a good lad. A good soldier. It’ll be a shame if he dies. “Hold on. I’m bringing help.”
“I don’t know if the woman’s still alive, Pakhan. I heard shouting and a scream.”
“Just hold on.” I hang up and start throwing on clothes.
“What’s happening?” Karine stares at me, looking pale and lovely.
“Nothing. Stay here.”
“You mentioned a woman. Who’s in trouble, Valentin?”
“You don’t need to be concerned.” I walk to her and crush her mouth with mine. “I’ll handle it.”
But she doesn’t let me off that easy. As I finish dressing, she pulls on tights and a sweatshirt. “I’m coming.”
“You are most certainly not.” I text Anton and tell him to gather a few men. “Sit back down.”
“It’s my mother, isn’t it?” When I don’t respond, she punches me in the arm. “Tell me the truth, asshole!”
“I’m not going to lie to you, which is why I want you to sit back down and stay here. I will handle it.”
“I’m coming.” Tears stream down her face. “Something’s happening to my mother. I’m not staying here.”
I curse my rotten luck but there’s no time to fight her. I storm out of the room with Karine fast on my heels. I bark orders at the nearest guards and tell them to arm themselves for a fight, and two minutes later, we’re in an oversized SUV with five armed men and Karine sitting up front in the passenger seat.
I drive like a maniac.
Karine’s mother doesn’t live far. It’s a typical Philly neighborhood with lots of cars parked in the street and tightly packed row homes. Neighbors are on the sidewalk, staring and pointing.
Miriam’s house is on fire.
Smoke billows from the roof in thick black plumes. Flames crackle at the windows, and the door’s been left open. More smoke and more fire pour out onto the front stoop. Someone’s screaming and crying, and I realize it’s Karine as she claws at the door, and barely manages to throw it open before I can lock it.
“Karine!” I shout as she runs toward the house. I turn around and bark orders at my men as I double park right against the curb. “Get this place secured. Make sure no Armenians are anywhere nearby. Send someone around back to save Alexei if he’s still alive. Get fucking moving.”
My men spill out as I leap from the SUV, not bothering to turn off the engine. Karine’s trying to get in the front door, but the heat from the fire is too much, and it’s singeing her eyebrows and the front of her hair.
I have to drag her away. She kicks and screams, but I can’t let her burn herself trying to get inside that place.
“Baby, please, it’s okay, it’s okay.”
“Mama! Valentin, Mama’s in there, please you have to help her.” She’s begging, pleading, crying so hard her body’s shaking with each bone-wrenching sob. She grabs at my shirt. “Please, Valentin! You promised!”
The firemen aren’t here yet. I have no protective equipment. No way to get in through this door.
But Karine’s right. I promised I would protect her, no matter what.
A truck pulls up behind my SUV and Anton jumps out with more soldiers. His men start pushing the neighbors away and helping anyone in the nearby houses.
“Pakhan, how bad?” Anton asks.
“Watch her,” I bark at him and push Karine in his direction. “I’ll be back.”
“Where are you going?” he yells, but I don’t answer. I kick open the neighbor’s door and hurry through a quiet, empty house, past a sink filled with dishes, and into a yard overgrown with weeds. I leap over the fence and land on Miriam’s back concrete slab.
Alexei’s lying in the bushes. I hurry to him and kneel down. The young man’s pale and he’s not breathing. An ugly wound in his chest leaks red, and bubbly bloody spittle covers his mouth.
Calling me must’ve been his final act.
I turn to the house. He’s lost, but Karine’s screams still ring in my ears.
The back door is closed, but I manage to get it open. The kitchen’s filled with smoke and I start coughing like crazy as I crouch down to get underneath. The fire isn’t bad back here, and I shout for Miriam as loud as I can, but it’s impossible to see anything. I run into a chair, stumble into a table. I knock a glass off the counter and curse as I bash my face on the goddamn refrigerator.