SWNOVELS Brutal Savage: Chapter 39
The day has finally arrived. The weapons the Russians promised to deliver are getting here shortly.
I made sure the delivery point was far enough on our land away from the house so that this doesn’t touch Brody or Elara.
All I told her was that I have an important meeting with the Russians. I don’t want her to know all the details of what I do. I want to shield her from it, even though she knows by now what she married into.
I’m not afraid of her running, because I will always find her. But I don’t want to give her more reasons to go, not when things between us have been good.
This past week, we’ve gotten closer, and my infatuation for her only grows.
And Brody? Well, he’s always loved her, and with every day, with every smile and laugh he gifts us, I believe in my heart that he will talk again. When he’s ready.
Love….
That word, it sits in my head. And I want to say it, but I can’t seem to get it out.
But the fact that I even want to? That’s the first step, isn’t it?
And that scares the shit out of me.
It’s like I’ll be sending a signal out into the damn universe. Like a calling card to all my enemies so they can use my love for her against me.
But ignoring my feelings, that isn’t fair to her or myself.
If something were to ever happen to me and I never got to tell her, I’d regret it. I don’t want her to ever wonder if I did love her. If all this was just about sex, when it wasn’t.
Elara means more to me than even I realized.
She’s the air I breathe.
The blood in my marrow.
The reason I want to wake up every morning.
Before her, my life was all about work or worrying about Brody. Now, it feels like I’m actually damn happy for once.
Damn.
I’m a goner, aren’t I?
If Aiden were to see me now…
My walkie-talkie chirps.
“They’re coming through,” one of my men informs me.
“Alright. Let them know where to go.”
“Ten-four.”
Fionn and Cillian wait with me, and about five minutes later, the sound of the truck grows nearer. My brothers and I all have our weapons on us just in case. I don’t anticipate anything going wrong. It’s more as a precaution. The Russians aren’t known for breaking their word or short-changing anyone. They’re all about business and respect.
A white truck pulls up, a black SUV right behind. Konstantin and Kirill hop out, greeting us with a shake of their hands.
“We have your entire shipment here.” Konstantin orders one of his men to open the back of the truck.
The metal pulls up, revealing cases of armor and ammo.
He takes one of the suitcases and unzips it, exposing over a dozen pistols. “You may inspect them all if you’d like.”
I look him dead in the eyes. “I trust you.”
His mouth cracks with a cold smile, which only makes him appear more predatory.
“Very good.” He reaches out his palm, slapping mine hard. “I appreciate that show of respect. It means a lot to me.” He stares at the driver of the truck. “Alright. Come on, Dimitriy, let’s go.”
As Konstantin and his brother head back toward the SUV, the young kid opens his door, but as he does, two other SUVs come barreling down the dirt road.
Right for us.
“What the fuck?” Fionn reaches for his gun, and in a flash we all have our weapons out, pointing at the incoming vehicles.
My immediate thought is that it’s either Jerry or one of the other organized factions, trying to undermine us.
That never works.
We always win.
Cillian radios our men at the gate, but there’s no answer. “Fuck!”
“So they’re not with you either, I presume?” Konstantin glances behind his shoulder at me.
I shake my head.
“Very good, then. Let’s kill the bastards.” With a growl, he lets a few rounds rip from his nine.
My brothers and I join him, while Kirill grabs a few rifles from the truck, giving one to each of us. One of the men from the vehicles slips his head out from the window, a ski mask covering his face and a pistol in his grip.
He fires a few shots at us, and we return the favor, missing his fucking head.
“Now it’s a party.” Konstantin’s sinister chuckle only fuels my rage as he shoots his way through the windshield, killing the driver and causing the SUV to swerve off its path before it lurches to a sudden stop.
Fionn takes that moment to finish off the passenger while the rest of us fire at the other car.
I don’t know how many men they have. But before I can wonder, four men in ski masks jump out of the second SUV, hiding behind the doors as they pop out their weapons, firing right at us.
“Take cover!” I holler at my brothers.
“Blyat! I’m gonna kill these sons of bitches!” Konstantin roars, firing a hole into one guy as bullets fly right past him.
The fucker has a death wish.
Or he thinks he’s invincible.
I’d guess it’s the latter.
How did these fucks get through the fence? They must’ve killed our men at the gate. That’s the only explanation.
“Fuuuck!” Worry instantly gnaws at me.
What if there are men coming for Elara? What if they’re already at the house?
I need to get the fuck out of here just to make sure she’s okay.
“Get down, Konstantin!” I shout, killing a man who was about to put a hole through the back of his head.
As soon as the guy goes down, he stalks toward him, eyes widening.
“Suka!” He shoots off into the dead body, over and over, his face turning crimson with his fury.
Three men remain.
There are too many of us. They have to know they won’t win. But they refuse to back down, firing off more bullets in our direction while we all hit them back.
The engine of the truck suddenly comes to life, and before any of us realize what the hell is going on, it starts gunning down the road.
“I’m going after him!” Fionn rushes for his car, but before he can get in, one of the assholes fires into his windshield, shards of glass splintering through the air.
“Okay, you fuck with my Royce? Now I’m pissed.” He shoots two into the guy’s head, and he goes down with a thud.
Konstantin raises his rifle in the air and empties three bullets into the truck, taking out two of the tires.
With a snarl, he charges toward the driver’s side, harshly pulling the door and dragging the man out until he hits the concrete with a loud thump.
He kneels, ripping off the man’s ski mask, while gunfire still rings in the air. “Who sent you?” He straightens. “Tell me now and I won’t come after your mama.”
The man raises both palms in the air. “Please, man, don’t kill me.”
I can’t see the asshole’s face, too busy trying to take out the last two men. I get one in the chest, and soon there’s only one left.
He starts to retreat, throwing his weapon down and raising his palms in the air.
Kirill takes him out without hesitation.
Now there’s no one left except the kid on the ground who’s no more than twenty, maybe even younger. Terror fills his eyes as he stares at each of us.
Pressing the heel of my shoe into his throat, I repeat the same question Konstantin asked. “Tell us who sent you.”
“I—I…”
“Are you stupid?” Kirill asks. “Or you want to get your whole family killed? Because I promise on my mama’s grave, we’ll find your family and cut each one of their throats.”
“Nozh.” Konstantin reaches a hand toward Kirill.
Before I can wonder what the hell he said, Kirill is removing a knife from the holster around his waist and handing it to him.
“Oh, God…” the kid cries. “Please don’t do that, man! I’ll talk! I’ll talk! I swear.”
“What a good boy.” Konstantin pats his cheek, but it’s more like a slap. “So, who was it?”
“His—his name is Jerry. His father is Isaac.”
Blood floods my veins. He sent his people to our property. After our weapons. If he comes after my wife too, I’ll rip him to pieces.
“Jerry is a crazy motherfucker!” the kid continues. “He runs the Eight crew with his pops.”
“That’s very good.” Konstantin peers over at me. “You know them, yes?”
I nod, dropping the rifle and removing my phone to call Elara.
“We find them and we kill them together. We in agreement?” Konstantin wants blood as much as I do now.
“Yes.” I nod once, dialing Elara’s number, needing to know she’s okay.
“Please! Please just let me go. Don’t wanna die, man.” The kid trembles, fear filling his eyes.
“No, no.” Konstantin shakes his head. “We don’t kill you.”
“Oh? You have a better suggestion,” I ask just as her phone rings.
“We send a message, my friend.” He grins, and before the kid knows what’s happening, Kirill is holding him down while Konstantin is chopping off his finger.
“Ahhh!” His scream is deafening.
Moving away, I wait for her to answer, but her phone just rings and rings.
“Come on, baby. Pick up the phone.”
I glance back and there’s blood oozing from the kid’s hand.
“Now, you will go back to your boss and tell him Konstantin Marinov is coming for him. Yes?”
But the kid’s screaming only gets louder.
“Did you hear what I said? Or should I take another finger?”
“N-n-n-no please…I—I—I will tell him. Just don’t. Please!” he chokes out.
“That’s very good. You’re a good boy. I bet you make Mama proud. Let me help you up.” He yanks the boy to his feet and straightens out his t-shirt, pulling it down at the hem.
The guy’s eyes widen with terror as he holds on to his bloody hand, waiting for further instructions.
“Now you may go.” Konstantin pats him on the cheek. “Better find something to tie that hand with, or you will bleed out before you send our message.”
As the kid runs toward one of the SUVs, Konstantin chuckles wryly, peering over at me. “Did the wife answer yet?”
I shake my head, something heavy hitting my stomach. “We’re going to the house.”
“Pashli.” Konstantin waves over his brother.
I jump into my car and turn it on in a split second, speeding down the road. She has to be safe. I can’t lose her.
I won’t.
As I continue toward the house, I call one of the men stationed at the front of my home. As soon as he answers, relief hits me. It means they didn’t attack the house.
“Sir?”
“Is everything okay over there? Did anyone come?”
“No, sir. All is quiet. Should we be on the lookout?”
“Yeah. We’ve just been hit. More could be coming. Make sure Elara and Ruby don’t leave the house.”
“Shit,” he mutters.
My heart instantly stops. “What is it?”
“Sir, she already left.”
“Who?” I spit out.
“Your wife.”
Cold dread pummels through my body.
“God damn it!” My fist connects with the steering wheel over and over. “When?”
“Over an hour ago. But Rogue is with her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”
I want to believe that. Rogue would lay down his life for hers, though if he’s dead, she’s unprotected.
Fuck, I hope she’s wearing the damn bracelet. It’s the only way I can track her.
“Call Rogue.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did she say where she went?”
“Not to me.”
“I’m about to pull up. Call him. Now!”
He hangs up, and I swear I will kill all my fucking men if she’s dead. What good are they if they can’t protect her?
The tires screech as I park in my driveway, entering the app on my phone that can give me her whereabouts. Every cell in me buzzes, hoping like hell Jerry doesn’t have her. That he hasn’t killed her already.
The tracker keeps spinning, like it’s trying to find her location.
This is one of Grant Westfield’s inventions. It works globally. If it isn’t showing up, it’s because it was tampered with.
“Come on, come on!” My teeth snap until my jaw aches.
My door flies open, and my brothers are there, the Russians behind them.
“What happened?” Fionn’s face grows tight. “Is she here?”
I shake my head. “She left and I can’t track her.” My chest seizes. “They have her. They have my Elara. I can feel it.”
And as I say the words out loud, it’s as though my damn heart is being ripped apart, the pain like nothing I’ve ever felt before.
Because if I lose her, I won’t survive it.
And the blood I will shed in her name will be written in the history books.