Withstanding Me(61)

“Thanks. Rap, I’m shutting off the light, and locking the door behind me. Don’t fuckin make a sound. Don’t let anything happen to her!”

I have no time. Tatiana took off running from Mace and me when the gunshots started. I promised her father I wouldn’t let anything happen to them, and I fuckin meant it.

I flick off the light and locking the door, shut it quietly behind me. It’s loud from the gunshots ringing out, but I’m not gonna hang a sign on the door that says ‘look, I was just slammed shut’.

I see Mace peeking around the corner, holding his knife. “Mace,” I whisper yell and his eyes flick to mine. “Where the hell did Tatiana go?”

He growls, “I don’t know.”

Just fucking great. “Winter?”

He shrugs. Oh, shit. She’s probably off playing pregnant Rambo. I point to Mace. “Don’t get killed; go find your sister.”

Mace takes off up the steps. We know Tatiana is in here somewhere. But the new building is bigger than the old. My steps are light as I make my way towards the door that leads to the compound parking lot. I need to get over to the old building; I know that’s where Winter is. I know her. She’s most likely trying to help. Just when I’m about to open the door, it flings open, and Winter comes rushing in, slamming it shut.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I yell.

“No time. The guys are holding them off! They’re trying to get into this building!”

Oh, fuck!

My mind quickly starts thinking of where to put Winter. If I don’t think of something, she’ll get herself killed. My eyes quickly snap to the floor remembering the crawl space. I start dragging her to the utility closet.

“Storm, let go of me!”

Like hell.

“I think Tatiana went to the crawl space; help me fucking look for her!”

There, that was convincing, right?

“Shit, okay.”

Awesome. I almost breathe as I flick on the light, dragging her inside the closet. “Just in case they come, and we’re looking.” I answer her questionable stare.

“Come on.” I pull on the crawlspace handle and lift it up. “Follow me.” I whisper as I duck inside. When I see she’s following, I wait for her to get all the way crouched down, and then I shove her hard and bolt back through the opening.

“What the fuck Storm! What are you doing?” She screams. I reach for the door to try closing it and have to keep pushing her head back down. “You’re gonna get yourself, and your fucking baby killed!”

My tone shocks her, and she pauses just long enough for me to close it. She starts pounding on it. I look around the room for something to set on top of it. Nothing. Fuck, this is gonna suck. I take a deep breath and move quickly, dumping the metal utility shelves and all of its belongings on top of the crawlspace door. It’s loud, and the gunshots are ringing closer. I flick off the light, and open and then close the door behind me. Shadow comes bursting in, slamming the door behind him.

“Where’s T?” he huffs.

“I don’t fuckin know!”

Shit, this is not happening.

“The others had to pull back into the other building. I’ve called Braxxon.” He takes a deep breath before releasing. “FUCKING FIND HER.”

Shadow’s freaking out. Oh god.

***





Chapter 31

Storm

I take off running up the steps, and I’m halted as a blade presses against my throat. Oh, shit. Someone got in here when I was in the utility closet, that much is clear. “Where’s Winter Belov?” A deep Russian accent spits out as my gun is removed from my back pocket.

I close my eyes and prepare to die. “I don’t know.”

The blade presses against my throat harder, piercing my skin open. I gulp and immediately gasp, and it’s removed. At first I think it’s about to plunge into my throat, but the Russian groans. I pull back to see Mace fighting him to the ground, stabbing at his back.

“GOOOOOOO!” He shouts.

My feet take off running up the rest of the stairs and around the corner. “Tatiana,” I whisper yell repeatedly.

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

My skin prickles and I take off toward her screams. She’s on the third floor, and my fucking feet can’t move me fast enough. I reach for the gun in my back pocket and remember the fuckin Russian took it. I can’t go back for it. SHIT!

I spot a hallway lamp and wrestle the cord from it as quickly and quietly as I can. Once I have it wrapped securely around my fingers, I tiptoe into the room I hear Tatiana’s screams coming from. A huge Russian is cornering her; I don’t even wanna know what the fuck is running through his head. All I know is I have to stop him. I pray silently that Tatiana doesn’t give me away. So far, she hasn’t seen me, and he can’t hear me over her screams. I close my eyes and reopen them, and then take off running, jumping onto his back and wrapping the cord around his neck as tight as I can.