We approach the door guns raised, they’re open now as people try to run away from the attack but they don’t realise they are walking right towards us. Their coughing and spluttering is all we can hear, the shouting of a man barking his orders in Russian, trying to tell them what to do, is falling on deaf ears.
We walk in a line of four to the double door entrance to the room, firing at any man that leaves the room, we shoot to kill not injure.
“If you see Ivan, I want him alive. He will not have a quick death.” Damien tells us, shouting loud enough to be heard above the noise.
I aim at the men, bullets hailing around us, it’s deafening. Only looking at faces to make sure it’s not Ivan then, squeezing the trigger and dropping the targets to the floor.
The polished marble floor quickly turns red. I have to dodge and crouch between the shots I let off, hoping to avoid oncoming gunfire.
We’re inside of the room there are about eight men left standing and right in the middle of them is Ivan.
We pick them off one by one, the amount of bullets flying is astounding, out of the corner of my eye I see Paul drop down to the ground, I don’t have the time to stop and check on him until we have secured the room.
I feel a sharp pain then burning in my shoulder, my stance falters, as the gun feels heavier all of a sudden. The intense pressure I feel in my shoulder is indescribable, the warmth coming from the wound is seeping down my arm, I hope that it has gone straight through and it’s a clean exit, I continue to let off my shots despite the crippling pain.
We are down to the last man standing on their side, Ivan. The three of us are lined up in front of him aiming everything we have at him. Waiting for him to make the smart choice and lower his weapon.
“Drop your gun Ivan, we have you surrounded. You won’t get out of here!” Damien commands, he doesn’t flinch at his tone, we hold fast waiting for the shot, but it doesn’t come. The clang of the loaded gun, hits the floor at the side of him. Dejectedly he sags in defeat. He knows when he is out manned and out gunned.
“Secure him.” Damien says and Vlad steps forward, pulling the cable ties from his belt. He pushes between his shoulder blades forcing him to his knees; taking hold of his hands he wraps the ties and binds them behind his back.
We lower our weapons Damien keeping his trained on him, I rush forward to go and check on Paul, crouching down at the side of him, I see the blood pooling out of his neck it covers the floor, all down the front of his clothes.
I check for a pulse, my fingers pressing against his neck, I pull them away after finding nothing, I shake my head at Damien, letting him know that he’s dead. I look down to see my comrades blood all over my fingers, the bright redness of the blood is a stark contrast to my skin, I can’t even make out the tattoo on my hand there is just so much of it.
“Find a chair and put him on it. I want him to understand who I am and why I am doing this.” He tells me and Vlad. “Anton, I need your bag of goodies.” Damien tells my father his tone harsh. I don’t know what happened between them, but I have a feeling it’s not good, they have hardly spoken a word to each other all day.
My father strolls in carrying the infamous bag. This bag is legendary, he has taken down so many people with his tools, and never does a man walk away when the bag comes out to play.
“Boys go and make sure the building is clear, that we have no one hiding or trying to be a hero by saving this scumbag.” We nod at his command and go checking all the rooms downstairs again, making our way upstairs; we walk along the corridor as we check each room.
The last room on the left, the door closed, when I try the handle it’s locked. I get Vlad to bust down the door, as my shoulder won’t hold up if I try right now, I go in behind him gun raised. I glance around quickly, looking straight to the woman restrained on the bed, the balding fat man above her heaving in and out, as he slobbers all over her unwilling body. I see red. I don’t think, I don’t care who he is, I just aim and fire. The bullet hits him straight in the head, the impact spraying all over the girls face and upper body, he drops on top of her, but before I can get there Vlad is there shoving the dead man off her, he quickly follows my train of thought and unties the girl, wrapping her bruised naked form into his arms, pulling up a blanket from the bed and wrapping it around her.
She is crying and in shock with everything that has just happened. Her body is shuddering with fear against Vlad’s chest.
“What’s your name and are you here willingly?” I ask her, trying to make sense of what my eyes are seeing. In front of me is this woman, naked and bruised and her hair full of whatever vile fluids they have doused her in.
“Emma, and no I was taken when I was on holiday.” She whispers her voice is quiet, mouse like.
“Look we’re not going to hurt you, ok? Vlad here, is going to carry you downstairs.” She nods her head and closes her eyes as we make our descent back down stairs.
Damien looks up as we enter back into the room. He has a puzzled look on his face.
Ivan is bleeding from the mouth, the deep lacerations to his face are distinctive of a blade.
“We found her upstairs tied to a bed, with some fat guy over her.” I explain about the woman in Vlad’s arms. He just nods his head in understanding; we don’t need to say anything more. I can’t help but let my thoughts drift to how I found Camilla, the circumstances aren’t quite the same but the context of what was happening to this girl is. It angers something deep and primal inside of me, the thought of any woman being hurt is abhorrent to me.
“Vlad take her to the car, and stay with her while me and Malc finish up here.” Vlad spins on his heal with the girl still in his arms; he heads out of the front door cradling her close to him.
“Nikos, you take out anyone who’s not one of ours that’s trying to get into this building. Vlad is on his way out carrying a girl, she is ok, leave her be.” He says in to his throat mic, communicating with the man that is stationed on the roof across the way.
“No problem, it’s all quiet out here. Anton has finished setting all the charges so it’s ready to go when you give the ok.” Nikos replies, the relief that runs through me, the thought of this being nearly over, is immense. The quicker we get out of here and safely on a plane back to London, the better.
“You know who I am Ivan, I’m the brother of the man you tried to kill in the UK the last week. Did you honestly think that I would let you get away with coming after one of my own?” His tone is cold and calculating, he will have planned what he wants to do to him.
“You think I care if I die, there will always be somebody else that comes.” He chuckles seemingly thinking he still has the upper hand in this conversation.
“Nobody else is coming.” Damien booms, his voice fills the air ringing out loud and clear.
“I will destroy every trace of you today, then this country will be free from your clutches. The balance of power will shift back to where it belongs. Your hold over everyone will die with you.” His face visibly pales with Damien’s words, obviously seeing the conviction in his eyes.
“Malc get the hammer out of the bag, I want to have a little fun with him first.” I walk over to the bag and pass him the hammer out of the dull black bag.
“How are your knees my friend?” He says just as he brings the hammer down hard against his kneecap. The crack of bone is distinctive. His screams fill the room as he bellows in pain, tears spring to his eyes as he realises this is worse than he first thought. No one is coming to save him, he doesn’t have the respect or loyalty for anyone to risk their life trying to save him. Damien quickly lands another blow to his other knee. The cries can be heard throughout the house; I suppose I would be the same if both of my knees had just been shattered.
I can’t watch as Damien, takes his frustrations out on Ivan. There is more to his pent up anger than what this guy did to his brother, he’s now standing in front of him his blade in hand as he stabs it into his side, his blood starts pooling instant
ly as the blade retracts, he then proceeds to stab his other side with a sick smile plastered on his face, his relief at getting vengeance is evident in his actions.
“I am done with you now, I’m happy I will see your last breath.” As he whispers the last words Damien stabs him in the neck then steps back, watching as the blood spurts out of the wounds, His breathing is harsh as he tries to gasp for every last breath, his hands still restrained behind him so he is fighting the binds to try and stem the blood flow but is no good. It’s too late he is choking on his own blood; his eyes are wide with fear as he takes his last mangled breath.
“Pack our stuff and let’s get out of here, I want to watch it burn as I leave.” He says to me, nodding I take the blade from his hands and give it a wipe before putting it and the hammer back in the bag. Damien is still stood staring at him when I have the stuff packed and ready to go.
“Come on Damien it’s done, over. They won’t hurt your family again, you kept your brother safe, he is recovering well. Let’s go home.” I say to him trying to pull him out of his thoughts, he looks defeated.
“You know nothing; I may have saved one brother but I am about to lose another.” He says through clenched teeth, it’s heartbreaking to see him like this, how can I try to reassure him that I will always have his back no matter what?
“Look Damien you’re my brother yes, maybe not by blood but certainly in every other way, I will always be there for you no matter where life takes me, you need me you call me.”
I say to him trying my best to reassure him that if Camilla and me go, he will always have me. I’m only ever going to be a phone call away. No matter where I am.
“That’s where you’re wrong, you are my brother even in blood. I overheard my mother last night telling Faith and Cami that she is your mother, that she had to watch as your father brought you up and she wasn’t allowed to love you. Do you know how much that hurt me, I had a brother all those years and they kept it from us,” he shouts at me “and now I am going to lose you” he whispers. I’m still reeling from shock at his statement, all those years my dad led me to believe that my mother died at my birth, that’s why he couldn’t go back home. Lilly is my mother. All those times growing up when I needed a mother, he hid it from me.
I push past Damien, and head out of the door of the house. I spy my father at the SUV, I march straight up to him. Shoving him in the chest, his back lands against the back of the vehicle,
“IS IT TRUE?” I scream into his face. His one-word answer cuts me deep. Lies and betrayal.
“Yes” is all he says in a little voice. I don’t feel my arm reeling back, it’s not until I see him slump against the car that I realise I punched him in the face.
Cami
The ringing of the phone pulls me from my sleep, I turn to answer it and see Malc’s name on the screen. I let out a breath as relief runs through my whole body. I quickly slide the screen across so I can answer pulling the phone to my ear so I can hear his voice.
“Hey Cami, it’s Damien.” His husky timber pulls me more awake; I sit up clutching my chest, panic pulls at me, why is Damien calling me? Oh god what’s happened to Malc?
“Damien, what’s happened? Where’s Malc?”
I say. I don’t even try to hide the worry in my voice.
“He’s ok Cami, he’s been shot in the shoulder, but it’s being tended to as we speak, I just wanted to give you advance warning that he knows about my mum being his mum and he’s not in the best frame of mind regarding it. I think he wants to go home when we land and not to the house, I will get him to call you when he is able to. We’ll be home soon. I’m going to call Faith now and bring her up to speed, it seems we have an extra house guest.” I don’t even get chance to respond as the line goes dead. I throw back the covers and head straight towards Faiths room.
I hear her on the phone so I knock gently, waiting for her to respond, I hear her steps as she gets nearer to the door.
She pulls open the door and tilts her head, telling me to come in, holding up her finger to indicate that she will only be a minute.
I make my way to her bed and perch on the edge. Listening intently to the one sided conversation.
I hear the words, what’s her name? How awful and what happened? Damien must answer all of her questions as she just nods her head and puts the phone down telling him that she loves him, and will see him soon.
“They have a girl called Emma with them, they found her tied to one of the beds while a man was raping her. Apparently she was kidnapped while on holiday, and they have been keeping her ever since, making her submit to any of the members that wanted to take a shot at her.”
My heart lurches in my stomach at the thought of anyone else going through anything like that. I only had to endure the pain once I dread think what she feels after all she has been through.
“Oh god Faith, what are we going to do? We have to help her.” I can’t stand the thought of someone else being hurt at the hands of a man.
“We will Cami, we will bring her back to life.” She says to me in a soft caring tone, one that cuts straight to my heart because if I hadn’t run, she would have been there with me from the beginning, helping me, giving me everything I needed to heal.
“What do we need to get ready for their arrival?” I ask her. Wanting to help out anyway that I can.
“Nothing that needs to be addressed right now Cami, lets grab a bit more sleep. Our men are safe and coming home and that’s the most important thing right now. Everything else will fall into place, you’ll see.” It’s nice to see her back to her old self, she has bloomed since she has been with Damien. She has become a strong wife, a wonderful mother, and she is fearless in her pursuit of happiness. Something that one day I hope I get to have with Malc, being comfortable enough in my own skin that I don’t give a rat’s arse about people looking at me. Maybe one day. All I need to work on right now is Malc, Charlie and me.
“Ok, well I’ll just head back to bed then, will you wake me when you get up so I can help?” I say to her, as I get up off the bed and head towards the open door.
“I will Cami, and don’t worry, he is safe, sleep well.”
“Night, Faith.” I say as I close the door behind me, and heading back to our room.
Climbing into the bed I snuggle down and try to fall back to sleep, my mind is wide awake now playing everything over in my head again, wondering how bad Malc’s shoulder is. Wondering what this Emma looks like. If she needs medical attention. The first thing I am going to do when I see Malc is hold him, it must be such a shock finding out that Lilly is his mum and that Damien is his brother. All of those years lost, even though they grew up together.
I drift in and out over the next few hours, tossing and turning, every time I hear something I think that they are here, but then I realise that’s it just wishful thinking. Something that Damien said keeps running through my mind. Why would he want to go home? Why would he not want to talk to his Dad and Lilly together? Let them tell him the story of how it was and why it happened the way it did, it broke my heart when I heard it. He must know that sometimes you have to release the ones you love. He let me go
because at the time he thought it was best.
I don’t want him to push away the people that love him most. I have been down that path and it’s not the way to deal with things. Running and hiding from you problems only makes it worse.
Malc
My shoulder feels numb at the moment the nurse that patched me up was brilliant she shot me so full of stuff, that I didn’t know my head from my arse.
We’re on the plane with only about thirty minutes until we land in London. I’ve had it out with my Father he told me his version of events and I felt for him I really did. I would be the same if I had to watch the love of my life with another man, but I’m angry and hurt. I want to lose myself in my wife and have her tell me it’s going to be ok, because right now I don’t see how it will be. Damien is furious with Lilly, I mean, mum. I can’t
get used to it. It doesn’t sit right with me. Maybe it’s too fresh in my mind and with everything else that’s going on it’s like an overload; my brain just won’t process it. That was what the argument was about in the hotel, the one I overheard but couldn’t decipher.
We are all sat on the plush seats of the private plane, all lost in our thoughts. The girl we rescued, Emma is sat on the seat furthest away from every one with a very baggie top on and a blanket pulled up tight around her.
We’re taking her back with us so that she can get the help she needs and the time to recover before going back to her family.
It’s not long before the fasten seatbelt sign comes on and we prepare to land. I can’t wait to be out of this sardine can, the atmosphere is stifling, sucking every last bit of air out so I can’t breathe.
We land and load up into the waiting cars ready to take us back to the house. This will be the first time I see Lilly since I found out. I don’t know what I will say or what I will do, but right now I just want to pick up my family and go home.
The house is quiet when we arrive, it’s still early in the morning. We all vacate the cars and pile in through the doors I catch my dad’s eye as I let him lead the way his head is down in defeat; he knows nothing will be the same again. Trust has been destroyed, memories have been tarnished.
How can you move past that? I hope we can. I’m not saying we will become one big happy family spending every Christmas around the fire singing, but I at least hope, for common ground.
The girls are waiting just inside the door when I step through, Faith has a look of pure sorrow on her face, but not my girl. She bounds through the throng of people and leaps into my arms, wrapping her arms around my waist I grip onto her with my good arm, and wince inwardly a little when she catches my shoulder, pulling back a little she peppers kisses all over my face, whispering,
Fractured (The Volkov Mafia Series Book 3) Page 17
