Chapter 103

I unbuckled the seatbelt and stood up, looking out the windshield. Sure enough, Lorenzo had pulled up against a brick wall that was part of the closest neighbors boundary. Tapping him on the shoulder, I walked to the back between Keenan and Marek. With a flick of a button, the top of the van started to retract back. I pulled down the metal ladder and climbed up.

I had a perfect view of the guards house and the gate . My lips pursed and I stepped back down a couple stairs.

“This will be fine. Their numbers went up though.”

“Cause he’s back.” Lorenzo pulled out a laptop from the door and opened in. “Yeah, it’s nearly empty inside the house.”

I nodded and looked over the top of the van again. “Confirmed location?”

“In the study. Ferrari is also in there.”

Smirking, I shrugged. “Two for one I guess.”

“You need to ensure that he doesn’t run.” Marek added and I looked down at him.

Frowning, I dropped down and took hold of the bulletproof vest he was putting on. I shook my head.

“You’re not going.”

“Like hell, Ria.”

I snorted. “Like hell? You’re the one that looks like hell. Marek, you’re still drugged. I’m sorry but I can’t trust you to take hit your mark right now. I wouldn’t expect that of you. You need to stay here. Protect my brother.”

“No.” Marek glared at me. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not! An adrenaline shot isn’t medicine. It wears off. I can’t carry you. I can’t watch you.”

He moved my hands and pulled down the vest. “I’m going.”

“I’m not losing you again!” I screamed at him.

Keenan and Lorenzo even stopped moving. I glared at Marek, tears overflowing. His hand came up and held my cheek. Closing my eyes, letting the tears fall even faster, I nuzzled into him.

“I can’t, Marek. I didn’t know if Enzo had killed you. I didn’t know how much he was going to use you against me. I tried to give you a window to run but I couldn’t even do that.”

“Ria.” Marek pressed his lips to my forehead. “You found me. You saved me. Let me help you. I know I’m not at a hundred but I will be your shield. I told you I would. You promised we would do this. Vmeste.” [Together.]

Opening my eyes, I shook my head. “I outed myself to find you. Boris, Lec, Zann, and Keenan were in the room.”

“Well, three couldn’t stay.” Lorenzo added and I glared at him. “What? It’s true. One of them even threw up.”

“It’s okay, búsinka. We will take care of it. Together. Every step of the way.”

I couldn’t contain my smile. “I missed hearing you call me that.”

He chuckled and kissed my lips softly. “I’m here, búsinka. I’m not going anywhere. We finish then and we can go home.”

“Actually, it will be the hospital, for both of you.” Keenan slammed a clip into his gun.

Shaking my head, I rolled my eyes. “They know how to ruin a moment.”

“Well, have this moment later. We need to open up a path for Terrance.” Lorenzo was flicking through his laptop.

I threw my hands up. “Did you name…you know what? I don’t care. Where is it?”

“Under your husband.”

Marek stood up and I lifted up the bench seat. Smiling, I pulled out the beautiful rocket launcher. I’d never actually held one before and as I lifted, I realized it was heavier than I thought. Keenan squeaked and moved to the passenger seat, whereas Marek helped me hold up the back.

“How many rockets?”

“Four.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Only?”

Lorenzo snorted. “If you can’t do it in two, I don’t know my sister very well.”

Taking the ladder up, Marek helped me get the launcher through the hole before I set it up on the roof. Normally it would take a couple guys to help hold it but this one was modified to have a stand and allow one person to be able to aim. Marek handed me a rocket and I held it in my hands. This was always a dream of mine to be able to fire one of these. Carefully, I loaded the rocket with a shit-eating grin on my face.

“Two shots to the guard house, sorellina. Then the other two can take down the front door.”

Shaking my head, I started to adjust it to the correct direction when I felt Marek step up behind me. An earpiece was placed in my ear and then earmuffs settled on my head. Then Marek’s hand came around and put goggles on me.

“Safety first, zhena. I don’t want you to go deaf from this.” His voice filled my ear through the earpiece.

“Seriously. Shoot first, safety last. Every time.”

Scooting up so that most of my body was laying on the roof of the van, I looked down the sight at the guard tower. Taking a few calming breaths, I waited.

“What is she waiting for?” Keenan’s voice echoed in my ear.

“Me. Now hush.”

I waited for Lorenzo and let out my breaths quietly.

“Uno.”

Shifting slightly, I held tight to the handle and my finger moved to the trigger.

“Due.”

Inhaling, I held my breath.

“Tre!”

Pulling the trigger, I was forced back and almost fell back into the van. The sound reverberated through my very bones. It took me a minute to recover and I looked down. Marek had his hands on my waist. I hadn’t fallen down completely because of him.

The secondary explosion rocked the van and I put my hands on Marek’s shoulders to steady myself. He smiled and wrapped his arms around me completely.

“We should do this more often.”

Chuckling, I shook my head. “I’d rather not. Reading a book with you on the couch is just as good.”

A full smile finally graced his face and I bent down, kissing his lips.

“Are they always like this?” Lorenzo asked through the earpiece.

Keenan answered him. “Yes. They are.”

“Gross.”

I chuckled and rested my forehead on Marek’s for a moment.

“Dust is settling. Round two.”

Nodding, I turned back around and grabbed the ladder. Going back up, I looked behind and saw that a tree had taken some damage from the backblast but nothing terrible. Marek handed me another rocket and I loaded the gun again carefully. Looking down the sight again, I watched the cloud of dirt, debris, and smoke dissipate in the slight breeze.

The guard tower at the entrance was toast. Guards were running around like they didn’t know what the hell to do.

“Where am I aiming, Lor?”

He hummed for a moment. “I mean…there really isn’t much left. I didn’t think it would take it out in one but I can drive through that.”

Nodding, I sat up. “Then drive. Let Keenan fire out of the window to cover me. I’ll take the house on when we get close enough.”

“Ria…that’s…”

Marek didn’t even get a moment to speak. Lorenzo pulled out onto the road and I lifted all thirty pounds off the roof of the van.

“Lorenzo! I still had the launcher on the roof loaded! Confirm an order, dumbass.”

“You’re fine. Get ready!”

Shaking my head, I held the launcher tight as Marek caged me with his body against the ladder. Lorenzo drove like a madman but the area of damage was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The guard tower wasn’t even a speed bump. The fence had been blown away and curled at least five car lengths in both directions.

Keenan was letting off bursts of fire and I watched as guys dropped on both sides. Raising up on my tiptoes, I gave him a little wave. He was sitting on the window sill, his arms resting on the windshield as he covered the left and right side. Shaking his head, he nodded to house coming into view.

Lorenzo slowed down and I set the launcher back down on top of the roof. I didn’t really need to aim much this time but I tried to get the front door in my sights before I pulled the trigger. Again, it felt like my bones were rattling as the backblast rocketed behind me as well. Since we were so close, the blast was so much worse.

Marek pulled me down and covered me as the explosion actually pushed back the van, shattering two of the vans windows. Lorenzo cursed as he tried to keep it from tipping. Two wheels did leave the ground but fell back to the ground, rattling the entire vehicle. Keenan had slipped back inside the car but hit his head on the windshield as the van rocked.

“You okay, Keenan?”

“Fine, Atamansha. Never better.”

Chuckling, I wriggled out from Marek’s protective cover. “I don’t need sass from you too, Keenan. We need to move. Now.”