Three years later.
Demitri and I are sitting in an SUV, parked down the road from a warehouse where a shipment of girls is being held.
I hear a motorcycle, and glancing in the side mirror, I watch as Isabella parks behind us. Opening the door, I climb out and walk to my wife.
“Ready?” I ask as I reach her.
Isabella takes off her helmet, then climbs off the motorcycle. “Yes. Ana’s in place.”
Demitri joins us. “I’m going to head up.”
“Okay.” I watch as he jogs to the side of a warehouse, and then I turn my attention back to Isabella. “Let’s do this.”
She grins at me as we walk in the direction of the shipment.
“Don’t be greedy tonight.”
I raise an eyebrow at her. “Me? I let you kill more than half every time.” I wink at her before I continue, “It’s a turn-on to watch you go all badass on the fuckers.”
‘Ugh,’ Ana mutters over the earpiece.
‘How about we focus on the job,’ Demitri joins in.
Isabella lets out a burst of silent laughter, and then she pulls her gun from behind her back.
I do the same, and as we round the corner, we pull our ski masks over our faces.
Isabella raises her arm as we approach two guards, and then I call out, “Surprise, motherfuckers.” She pulls the trigger, burying a bullet in the one guard’s head.
I take aim, killing the remaining guard just as the warehouse’s door rolls open. More men spill out, and then it’s fun and games.
When we’re close enough, I cover Isabella as she darts forward. It gives me an instant hard-on as she jumps into the air. Kicking a guard square in the chest, she rides him like a fucking surfboard as he falls backward, and then she plants a bullet between his eyes.
“That’s my girl,” I boast to no one in particular.
‘The whole fucking world knows,’ Demitri mumbles under his breath, making me chuckle.
As we walk into the warehouse, I scan for threats while Isabella runs to the girls.
And then my good mood fades.
Fucking cockroaches.
The girls have been squashed into animal cages, and knowing we don’t have a lot of time before reinforcements might arrive, I walk to the nearest cage.
Usually, I leave it to Isabella to deal with the girls, but seeing as we’re tight for time, cautious and caring will have to take a back seat.
“Come,” I say to the girl as I open the door.
“It’s okay,” Isabella begins to coo. “We’re here to help you.”
I move along the cages, opening the doors, and then say, “Ana, we need you here. The shipment’s bigger than we expected.”
‘On my way,’ her voice sounds over the earpiece.
“Demitri, any movement?” I ask.
‘Nothing. It’s too quiet, though. Hurry.’
A couple of minutes later, the van pulls up, and we herd the eight girls out.
“It’s going to be a tight fit,” I mention to Isabella.
“Doesn’t matter.” She opens the side door and then gets the girls to climb inside. “We’re taking you to a safe place.”
“Wait,” I say as Isabella begins to shut the door. I step closer, and then I take a good look at the girls.
Suddenly one of the girls pulls out a weapon, and my arm flies up. Without hesitating, I pull the trigger, dropping her.
The remaining seven pile from the van, my eyes scanning over each one.
“A mole?” Isabella asks.
I nod. “Probably to track us.”
“Good thing you caught that,” Isabella says as she takes hold of the dead girl’s feet, pulling her from the van.
“Gut instinct.”
‘Okay, move. Two incoming jeeps,’ Demitri warns.
Isabella piles the rest of the girls back into the van while I search the body of the woman that’s no older than twenty.
I’ll never understand flesh peddlers. But, working with Isabella over the past three years has taught me they come in all forms.
Isabella shuts the door and bangs a fist against the metal. We watch as Ana drives off, and then Demitri mutters, ‘One mile out.’
“We’re coming,” I reply, and taking hold of Isabella’s hand, we start to walk back to where we parked the vehicles.
‘Sure, take a stroll. There’s no hurry whatsoever.’
“Take out the tires if you’re so worried,” I say, enjoying fucking with Demitri way too much.
“Come on,” Isabella says, taking pity on Demitri. She pulls her hand from mine and begins to jog.
‘Thanks, Bella.’
Demitri and Ariana started calling her Bella right after the wedding. I tried it once and almost got my ass kicked.
Reaching the SUV, I watch as Isabella puts on her helmet, and only when she rides off do I climb behind the steering wheel.
The passenger door opens, and Demitri slips into the passenger seat. “Fucker.”
“You love me,” I taunt him.
Shaking his head, a grin tugs at his mouth.
I make a U-turn and then floor the gas to catch up to Isabella.
When I flash the headlights, she opens the throttle, and then she speeds away like a bullet.
“So fucking hot,” I chuckle as we fall in behind Ana’s van while Isabella takes the lead.
ISABELLA
Four years later.
Sitting outside on the patio, I watch as Mariya scowls at Viktor, Demitri and Ariana’s son. “Be nice,” I call out to our daughter. Lately, she’s been giving Viktor hell.
“Leave her,” Alexei says. “She’s just going through a phase.”
“Don’t take her side when she does something wrong,” I chastise him.
“I’ll take her side even if she wipes out a small country,” he chuckles as if that would be something funny.
“I can’t win with you. Mariya has you wrapped around her little finger.”
“As it should be,” Alexei murmurs while looking at our daughter with all the love in the world.
Demitri sits down in one of the chairs. “Don’t worry about them, Bella. Kids will be kids.”
Ariana comes out of the house and sets a salad down on the table, and it has me asking, “Need any help?”
“Nope, I’ve got this. You watch the kids and make sure they don’t kill each other.”
Ana places a garlic bread next to the salad, and then she walks to where Mariya and Viktor are sitting in the sandbox.
“Want me to build you a castle?” Ana asks the kids.
Mariya turns her head away, pouting. As Alexei moves to get up, my hand darts out, and grabbing hold of his arm, I say, “Wait.”
“She’s angry because I won’t be her prince,” Viktor mutters while digging a finger into the sand.
Mariya’s chin begins to quiver, and she crosses her arms over her chest.
I have to tighten my grip on Alexei’s arm as his body tenses.
“My heart hurts,” Mariya sniffles, making my heart squeeze.
Viktor glances at her, and then he scoots a little closer. Leaning forward, he stares at Mariya’s face. “Why are you crying?” he asks, his voice sweet as pie.
“Because you’re mean.”
Viktor wraps his arm around Mariya’s shoulders, then he says, “Okay, I’ll be your prince.”
Instantly a triumphant smile spreads over Mariya’s face, and I slump back in my chair, shaking my head. “She takes after you,” I blame Alexei.
“So fucking cute,” Demitri murmurs.
Alexei grins at his friend. “I know.”
“Fucker. I meant both kids.”
“Of course.”
Ariana drops down on the chair next to me, shaking her head. “It feels like Bella and I have four kids. Would be nice to have husbands once in a while.”
“Amen, sister,” I agree.
The End.
