The will to die.

 

***Ruby***

 

I wish I had a gun in my hand. And there are so many in this room, but none of them are within my reach. Well, maybe the one that’s pointed at me, but Tarzan gave me the slightest shake of her head, telling me it was a no-go.

It is so very frustrating to be standing here and do nothing. Nothing! While the idiot who’s to blame for all of it is sitting a few feet from me, babbling away to my husband as if he’s taking a trip down memory lane.

The only positive point is that backup is on the way. The call Karma just took? Perfect. Letting her husband know something is up and even managed to tell him how many men were here. But the scary thing is she didn’t lie…she really is pregnant.

“Which one of them?” a rough voice asks as a slick-haired man steps toward us. His eyes travel over us and land on Andy. “How about the one with the nice rack and curls?”

Paco nods while he keeps staring at Yegor, but his words are meant for Marco. “That’s good, brother. See, Yegor? Marco and I share the correct set of DNA. Not the tainted one you and I share with our whore of a mother. I think it’s time you heard the truth. You’ve been lied to all along. But first…Marco, take the woman. We need a hostage in a different location in case someone thinks they can storm in and ruin things.”

Marco takes a zip tie from his pocket and grabs Andy’s wrists, locks them behind her back, and snaps them together. Marco pushes her out the door, disappearing from view.

“My little brother, Marco, was born a month after me. We’ve always been together, raised by our uncle. His mother died in childbirth. It happens sometimes. Not like our mother, who killed herself after she had me. What was the story that they told you when you turned sixteen? When your uncle told you it was time for you to hear the truth. Right…that our mother couldn’t go on living like that. After all, when she had you, they made sure that her belly was strapped tight and that there was no trace of her ever being pregnant.” Paco clicks his tongue in disapproval.

Yegor’s hands ball into fists on top of his desk. Judging by the way anger rolls off him, Paco is telling the truth. It takes everything in me to keep rooted.

Paco continues. “As the only daughter of a large gang leader, our mother needed to wed an appropriate man, one that fits her standards and could benefit the family. Your father, a mere foot soldier was killed the night they found out about the pregnancy, did you know that? Then they sent that whore you call a mother to marry my father, a Dom. Her own family was aware that my father would be furious on the wedding night. I mean, what decent Italian man wouldn’t be when he found out he’d been lied to? Expecting a virgin, but getting a whore who’s already spread her legs. Served him fucking right to rape her. He had to keep her locked inside his house, tied to a bed until she gave birth to me. The story goes that she ran off.  That she killed herself. But the truth is my father had her dumped on the doorstep of her parents’ house like the trash she was. He only needed me, an Italian blue-blood.”

“Bringing up the past doesn’t change the future.” Yegor bites out his words as if it’s the last thing he will every say about it.

Paco’s smile turns feral. “Doesn’t change the future? Just wait a moment, brother. The truth is a bit different than the one you’ve been told. They didn’t want you to rip open something that was settled by elders. My father was murdered because of what he did, and with that, it was settled. Your real father wasn’t a foot soldier, Yegor. He was a Dom; you’re an Italian blue-blood too. How does that sound? To know that your mother was kidnapped and raped by my father? Kept hostage until I was born. Then they dropped her off in front of your real father’s house. She was broken. Your daddy was devastated but intensely happy to have her back. But she hated herself, couldn’t handle giving birth to the enemy’s son. My father didn’t want the puttana near me, another thing that was ripped away from her. So yes, she killed herself. But there’s a difference in killing yourself even if the results lead to the same lifeless thing. They found her hanging on a low branch. She had to pull up her own feet to hang herself. That takes courage and strength, the will to die. They even found cuts on her throat from a knife that was near the body...she wanted, no, needed to die, with complete surrender and devotion. She pulled up her own fucking legs to cut off her air supply. It’s only in death that I respect the last and final thing our mother did.”

Paco stands up and smooths his suit jacket and closes the button. “Now tell me, brother…does the past matter?”

“No.” Yegor’s voice lacks any emotion. It’s cold, oh so cold. “The future is already set to have no place for you in it.”

Paco throws his head back and laughs. “I believe you’re mistaken. You’re the one with all the guns pointed at you. Within the next few minutes, your life will end, and I will finally be rid of the last piece of rotten DNA that was mixed with mine.”

“Wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Karma mutters beside me.

Paco’s head snaps in her direction. “What was that, little fuck hole?”

“Christ. You really could use a vent to that tiny brain of yours. A little fresh air would be prefect to blow away the asshole inside you. Oh, look, right on the dot.” Karma points at him.

All eyes in the room slide to Paco when we hear glass shatter and see his body jerk to the left before he lunges to the ground. The distraction enables Tarzan to take out the guy next to her. She grabs his wrist that’s holding the gun with her left hand and punches him straight in the chest, followed by one underneath his chin. The gun falls to the ground. She switches to throw a blow against his jaw, then grabs his wrist again and kicks him to the floor. One down.

Karma snaps another man’s neck just as the three other thugs lunge at us. Apparently, they choose hand-to-hand combat because they can’t risk putting a bullet in one of their own guys. And that gives us the advantage we need.  

From the corner of my eye, I see Yegor and Paco fighting. Actually, it looks more like Yegor is the one throwing punches. One man makes a move to kick Karma in the stomach, and acting on instinct, I step forward and kick him straight in the knee, causing him to fall down. That grants me the opportunity to jab my elbow in this neck and knee him in the face.

The sound of gunshots bounce off the walls, making my gaze dart around the room, searching for the source of the threat. I see Peacock standing in the doorway along with Ford. Afon and Ricca come running past them. The hatred in his eyes and the gun in his hand indicate it was Peacock who shot the remaining guys.

Grunts are still coming from the scuffling brothers. Yegor is punching the shit out of Paco. At least…what’s left of Paco, because I’m sure they will have a hard time identifying him. No one can tell if that blob on his shoulders is supposed to be a face. Hell, I bet all his teeth are missing, which would make identification difficult.

Stepping forward, I move to stop Yegor, because this can’t go on like this. I’m held back by Ford and Afon.

“Wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Ford tells me. “He’s not with us right now. Let him ride it out.”

I hear what they’re saying but, really? Are they seeing what I’m seeing? Dammit, if this guy’s face is pulp, I don’t even want to think about what Yegor’s fist looks or feels like.

“Where’s Andy?” Ricca asks.

“Shit. Paco’s brother, Marco, took her. They needed her as a hostage, insurance or some shit.” Tarzan informs them.

Ricca takes out his phone and taps away while he turns, racing for the door.

“She’s got a chip in her arm. I’ll…shit. She’s on the move.” Ricca throws over his shoulder. Afon runs after him. Peacock, who was kneeling next to Karma, stands up.

“No,” Ford holds up his hand. “You stay here, I got this. Tarzan. Eyes open.” Ford rumbles as he joins Ricca and Afon.

Yegor is still beating one fist after the other into Paco. Grunting hard with each blow. Although the force of them have diminished a bit.

Soft mumbling makes my gaze switch to Karma and Peacock. He’s stroking her back. Karma doesn’t look too good. Shit.

I kneel down next to her. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

Peacock gives me a tight smile. “Thanks for your concern, but she’s positive nothing touched her stomach. Well, not coming from the outside anyway. Karma suffers from morning sickness. It comes and goes, and with all this stress and kicking some ass, she needs to sit and let it pass.”

“Oh, thank fuck.” I breathe. For a moment there I thought she might have been…

Karma grabs my forearm. “No, thank you. I saw how you blocked that guy. I’m sure he would have struck me in the stomach.”

My hand covers hers as I give her a thankful squeeze.

“Uhmmmm, Ruby? You might want to do something right about now.” Tarzan whispers next to me.

Turning, I see Yegor has stopped throwing punches. His ass is resting on his heels, while his upper body heaves with each labored breath.

“Yegor?” I walk slowly toward him.

He doesn’t respond to my voice, so I call out to him once more. Again, nothing.

Reaching out, I lay a hand on his shoulder. The next instant, he surges up and his hand is wrapped around my waist, bringing me down. I see his other arm going back, ready to strike. My hand goes to his throat, cutting off his air supply while I bellow his name. “Yegor!”

His head rears back as if he’s been slapped out of it. His eyes are no longer black darkness. His shoulders sag as he drags my body against him. My arm, stuck between our bodies, releases his neck. Yegor starts to shake as we both fall to the ground, clinging to each other.

I have no clue how long we sit like this, but when I hear a murmur of voices, I lean back and see Karma, Peacock, and Tarzan huddled in a circle, talking to three new men. Tarzan is clearly giving directions as they start to walk toward a body on the floor and start to clean up. As I take in my surroundings, I notice that I’m sitting on Paco’s hand. Oh, gross.

Taking Yegor’s face between my hands, I make sure his eyes are locked with mine. “Come on, Studly. We need a shower. Big boys are coming in for a cleanup. Let’s make this easier for them, okay?”

His lips twitch and his nose rubs against mine. “I could use a hot shower. And you.”

My head swings back to Tarzan and the rest of the guys.

“Everybody relax; he’s back to his horny self again.” I yell.

All eyes land on us. Peacock snorts as Karma chuckles. Tarzan just shakes her head.

Yegor’s breath is hot near my ear. “You’re gonna pay for that.”

Acting shocked, I gasp. “What did I do? You’re the one who went all Hulk mode. Flipped the switch back to fucking just now. I might make you flip the switch while we’re fucking so you can pound…”

I can’t finish that sentence because he twists my nipple, making me curl my lips around my teeth and bite down, preventing me from screaming out.

“No worries, gorgeous. I’ll have you screaming out in no time.” Yegor says.

Tarzan’s phone rings, preventing me from a snarky comeback. She answers the call, but I can’t make out what the discussion is all about.

“I hope they found Andy.” I mutter the first thing that still has my worry.

“Shit.” Yegor curses some more and stumbles closer to Tarzan, bringing me with him.

We both wait patiently until Tarzan finishes the call and turns to us. There’s sadness on her face.

“They found her. Andy managed to escape.”

“Thank fuck.” Yegor mumbles.

“Yeah, not exactly. She jumped out of a moving van. Her hands were still tied behind her back. She’s at the hospital, but they don’t have any update other than it doesn’t look good.” Tarzan swallows.

I cover my face with my hands. Shit. How could she do that? Jump out of a speeding van? Yegor wraps his strong arms around me, rocking me back and forth.

“Let’s clean up, let the guys clear this room in the meantime so we can head over to the hospital, huh?” Yegor kisses my neck.

My hands slide down, and I lace my fingers with his as he guides me out of the room and up the stairs.