Crown of Hate (Soulless Empire)

Chapter 29

29

ALYA

“I still can’t believe I’m going to be a grandma!” Mama squeals for the millionth time, practically bouncing with excitement as she helps me pack. She’s been grinning nonstop since Semyon drove her here an hour ago.

It’s almost seven p.m. Our private jet leaves in about two hours. I’m trying to smile back, but icy fingers of dread are creeping up my spine. Please, God, don’t let anything go wrong tonight.

“We get it, Mama,” I sigh, tossing her one of my nightgowns. “The whole world knows you’re joining the Grandma Club. No need for hourly reminders.”

She pouts like a little girl who’s just been told she can’t have more ice cream. “You wouldn’t understand. Wait until you become a grandma.”

I rub my stomach and smile softly. I’m not exactly religious, but last night I prayed my heart out. All I want is my own little family—Mikhail, our baby, and me. Mama too. If everything goes well for Mikhail and our baby is born safely, I swear I’ll never ask for another thing as long as I live. My husband and this tiny life growing inside me are my whole world now.

Mama finishes packing and sets my boxes on the floor. Mikhail is somewhere around the house, probably holed up in his study with some of his men, making plans for our move tonight.

I plop down on the bed, staring blankly at the wall. My stomach is in knots, but Mama’s so damn happy, I can’t bear to burst her bubble. Mikhail and I haven’t told her the real reason for our sudden Russian getaway, but she’s not stupid. I can see it in her eyes—she knows.

After two decades of marriage to Papa, mafia power struggles are probably as familiar to her as grocery shopping. Still, I’d rather chew glass than discuss it with her right now.

Luckily, a knock on the door breaks the tense silence, and Mikhail strides in. He’s a vision in black slacks and a blank dress shirt. But there’s a darkness to him today. Gone is the man who couldn’t stop gushing about our unborn child last night. This Mikhail is all business, cold and dangerous. Maybe this is the real him, the version he usually keeps hidden from me. I can’t exactly blame him for that.

“We’re leaving,” he says coldly. “To avoid drawing attention, we’ll go with Igor and Dimitri. Semyon and Alexei will escort your mother to the airport.”

I frown, not liking this idea one bit. “No way. My mama needs to come with us. What if something happens?”

He closes the distance between us and presses a finger under my jaw. His touch is unusually cold. Everything feels cold right now. “That’s exactly why she’s not coming with us. Alexei and Semyon will keep her safe.”

I search his face, trying to see past the blank mask he’s wearing. Slowly, the pieces click into place. “You’re using her as bait?”

“If Akim is watching, he’ll naturally go for the car with Semyon and Alexei.” He pauses, inhaling deeply. “It’s the safest option.”

I jerk away from his touch, fury rising in my chest. “You’ve lost your damn mind.”

His fists clench at his sides. “I’m trying to keep you and our baby safe.”

“At the expense of my mama’s life?” I can’t believe he thought this was a good idea, let alone that I’d agree to it. “Absolutely not. I’m taking the same car as her.”

“Nothing will happen. She has my best men to protect her.”

“He’s right, honey.” Mama appears at Mikhail’s side, nodding solemnly. “This is the only way to keep you and the baby safe.”

“But what about you?” I demand, voice cracking.

She inches closer and holds my hand. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

A sharp knock at the door makes me jump.

“Chief, we have to leave now, or we’ll be late,” Alexei calls from outside.

I look from Mikhail to Mama, who manages to give me a reassuring nod. My nerves are screaming, but I know arguing is pointless. “Fine.”

Mikhail and Mama leave the room first.

I snatch my bag from the bed and pause at the doorway, taking one last look around. Who knows when—or if—I’ll ever see this room again. I have so many memories here, good and bad—laughter, tears, love… I silently pray I’ll get the chance to come back again someday, even if it’s just to visit.

A car is already waiting by the entrance when I make it downstairs. I climb into one of the tinted, matte black Mercedes with Mikhail. Igor and Dimitri follow in another car behind us.

Mama, Alexei, Semyon, and some other men are taking a different route to the airport.

For the first few minutes of the drive, Mikhail and I sit in tense silence. Then, he reaches for my hand and doesn’t let go. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I turn to look at him. “Are you?”

He nods. “I’m happy.”

If he’s actually happy, he’s doing a piss-poor job of showing it. Sadly, his words aren’t enough to convince me, but I don’t push it. If he wanted to talk, he would.

Mikhail opens his mouth to say something, but before he can get a word out, a car rams into ours from behind.

The force of the collision is so intense that I nearly faceplant into the dashboard. But Mikhail’s arm shoots out to shield me, his reflexes lightning-fast. He swerves hard to the right, then floors the accelerator.

“What the hell is happening?” I pant, panic clawing at my throat.

He spares me a quick glance from the road. “Are you hurt?”

I shake my head. “I’m fine. What’s going on?”

His eyes flick to the rearview mirror. “We’re being followed.”

He’s too calm. Way too calm for someone being followed on a deserted road in the pitch-black night.

I crane my neck, searching desperately for a glimpse of Igor and Dimitri’s car. They’re not behind us. There’s no car behind us. “Where are they?”

“Something must have happened,” he answers. “Akim must have caught on.”

I reach for my purse and start to rummage it for my phone. “I’ll call Dimitri and see what’s up.”

“No.” He steers us onto a slightly better-lit road that at least has streetlamps.

The darkness and silence are eerie, and although there’s no other sign of human life, terror is creeping under my skin like ice water in my veins. “What do you mean no?”

“Call Alexei. Tell him what’s happening,” Mikhail barks. “Now!”

“Mama—” I trail off. Shit. How could I forget about Mama. If Akim’s men are here, they might have gotten to her first. I quickly dial Alexei’s number.

He answers on the first ring. “Mrs. Zhirkov. Is everything okay?”

“Alexei, we’re being followed,” I blurt out, voice trembling.

“Where are you?” Panic and urgency crackle through his voice.

“We’re…” I look around frantically for any kind of landmark. But there’s absolutely nothing. This place is deader than a graveyard. “I can’t…”

“She’ll share our location with you,” Mikhail yells. “Tell Semyon to take her mother to the safehouse and join us at the airport.”

“Yes, Chief,” Alexei responds crisply.

“Alexei, please take care of my mother.” I sniffle to fight back the tears stinging my eyes. “Promise me.”

“Semyon will keep her safe. I’m coming to find you both now.” Alexei hangs up.

I quickly send him the location and tuck the phone between my breasts, then reach over and snag Mikhail’s phone from his pocket.

He doesn’t look away from the road when he asks, “What are you doing?”

“Buying some time for Alexei. Just in case… he needs to find us.” I draw in a breath, but it’s not enough to calm my frayed nerves. “I’m scared, Mikhail.”

He finds my hand and squeezes it tightly. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about.” I cup my stomach protectively. “If something happens to them?—”

“Nothing will happen to them,” Mikhail cuts me off, his voice firm. “We’ll survive this. All three of us.”

I want to believe him. I know he’d move heaven and earth to keep us safe, but we’re alone on this godforsaken road and Mikhail is still just a man. I want to protect him too, even though I feel about as helpless as a kitten right now.

I twist around, peering back into the darkness. “I think we lost them. No one’s been following us since the collision.”

“We can’t let our guard down. Akim wouldn’t have his men chase us if he wasn’t dead set on killing us.”

Just then, a pair of headlights cut through the darkness behind us. My heart jumps into my throat. I squint, trying to make out the license plate. Relief floods me when I recognize it. “It’s Igor’s car.” But as the car gets closer, color drains from my face. Igor is slumped in the passenger seat, his body still. “He’s… he’s dead.” Then I see the driver and my heart stops. Dimitri is sitting there with a cruel smirk twisting his lips.

“Do you see Dimitri?” Mikhail asks, firing the car to go faster.

“He’s behind the wheel.” I should be relieved that he’s safe, but something is horribly wrong. Fuck. The cars roaring up behind him confirm my worst fears. “He’s working with Akim.”

Mikhail’s face contorts with shock. “What?”

Before I can answer, I’m slammed against the car door with bone-crushing force. Everything happens in a blur of chaos and pain. Glass shatters, metal screams, and we’re spinning, tumbling, falling.

One second, I’m upside down, and the next Mikhail is tearing free his seatbelt and lunging for me. He catches me and wraps himself around me like a human shield.

The sickening crunch of metal on pavement is the last thing I hear before blackness swallows me whole.

The acrid stench of gasoline drags me back to consciousness. My head is throbbing when I force my eyes open. Mikhail is sprawled next to me, motionless and bleeding.

“Mikhail,” I croak. “Wake up.”

I try to raise my hand to touch him, but I’m too weak. My body refuses to move. I can’t fucking move. Every inch of me is screaming in agony.

My desperation to rouse Mikhail intensifies when I hear footsteps crunching over broken glasses. Someone’s coming.

“Mikhail,” I plead again. Although the movement sends daggers of pain through me, I manage to raise my hand to his face and tap his cheeks. “Wake up, dammit.”

He doesn’t even twitch. Panic threatening to choke me, I put a finger under his nose. A weak puff of warm air brushes my skin, and I nearly sob with relief. He’s alive. He’s alive, at least. That’s enough for now.

The footsteps draw nearer. If it’s one of Akim’s men, he’ll kill Mikhail without hesitation. I need to distract him somehow.

My mind races, grasping at straws. There’s only one shot. By some miracle, my phone is still tucked between my breasts. I find Mikhail’s phone lying next to him. Gritting my teeth against the pain, I grab it and unbuckle my seatbelt. Every movement is pure agony as I drag myself out of the wreckage. My entire body feels like it’s been put through a meat grinder. My muscles scream in protest, and the darkness is whispering seductively, begging me to give in.

I can’t succumb to it, not when Mikhail’s life is at risk. I need to save him. I refuse to die until I know he’ll make it out of this hellhole alive.

But it’s not one of Akim’s men I find a few paces from the car. No. It’s the devil himself.

Akim stands there, puffing on a cigar with a disturbing look of amusement on his face.

“Well, Well, Alya. Fancy meeting you here.” He takes a long drag and exhales through his nose. “Though I must say, this isn’t exactly how I imagined our little reunion.”

“What do you want, you sick bastard?” I snarl.

“Isn’t it obvious?” He chuckles darkly and turns to one of his men. “Check if that asshole is dead yet.”

“Go near him and I’ll call the cops.” I stagger to my feet, holding up the phone like a weapon. “Don’t you dare touch him.”

Akim lets out an exasperated sigh. “You’re a real pain in the ass, child. You know that?”

My lips quirk with a smirk of my own. “I guess it’s in the genes.”

Akim’s face slowly twists into an ugly scowl. “You stupid bitch.” He doesn’t take his eyes off me as he orders, “Take the phone from her and destroy it.”

“Siri, call 91—” I start, but one of Akim’s goons charges at me and snatches the phone from my grip. He hands it to Akim who scoffs and smashes it on the ground.

“Don’t kill him,” I beg, dropping to my knees. “Please. I’ll do anything. Don’t kill him.”

“He won’t survive anyway, girl. What difference will it make?” He stalks towards me. “Isn’t it better to put him out of his misery?”

Good. He’s falling for it. He doesn’t know Alexei is on his way to Mikhail. If he doesn’t kill him, there’s a chance Mikhail will survive it. I just need him to keep him talking.

“Are you that afraid of him? You’d kill a man when he’s down?”

“He’s a dead man already, child.” Akim squats in front of me and blows smoke straight into my face. It stings my eyes, making them water, but I refuse to look away. “If you want him to suffer, then so be it.”

I cough, blinking away the sting, and turn my glare on Dimitri. His lifeless eyes meet mine, showing no hint of remorse or humanity. “Traitor,” I growl. “Do you honestly think you can get away with this?”

“He’ll be dead before morning. Who’s going to kill me?”

A burst of wild laughter ripples through my chest. “If no one else does, then I fucking will.”

“Enough of this nonsense. We have a flight to catch.” Akim straightens up. “Take her to the car.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, you piece of shit.”

But two of Akim’s men grab my arms and start dragging me towards the waiting car. I fight like a crazed animal, writhing and biting, but it’s useless.

Akim pulls out a gun from his holster and starts walking towards Mikhail’s crumpled form with slow and deliberate steps, as if he’s savoring the moment. My heart pounds against my ribs, and my breaths come shallow and fast.

This can’t be happening. I can’t let him do this. I can’t lose Mikhail.

The metallic glint of the gun catches in the dim light, and a surge of helplessness courses through me. No. Please, no. I grit my teeth, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill.

But before he can take another step, the night explodes with the deafening crack of gunfire. He stumbles, cursing as bullets whiz past him. Cars roar towards us from a distance and more gunshots follow.

Thank God. They made it.

“Shit!” Akim growls. “Take the girl to the car. We’re leaving. Now!”

They shove me into the backseat, and Akim slides in next to me as his men scramble to retreat.

Through the window, I catch a glimpse of Alexei and Mikhail’s other men swarming the crash site. Alexei rushes to Mikhail’s side, and a weight lifts from my chest.

I smile, even as tears stream down my face. Mikhail will make it. He has to. He’ll come for me and our baby. Our story isn’t over yet.

Knowing Mikhail is in good hands, I finally allow myself to surrender to the darkness.