The Deep End

Chapter 36

•Polina•

The door to the safe house slams behind us, leaving my compliance outside with my little sister safely in Luca's arms. I stumble behind him and his hold on my arm breaks. The lights flicker on, the generators pumping electricity into the house, illuminating our surroundings and I know I have to act before he has a chance to restrain me. With my heartbeat pounding in my ears I snatch my knife from its sheath and jab it straight into his throat before he can block the strike. He gasps and gargles on his own blood as his fingers scratch at the knife as if removing it will make the wound better. I would've used my gun and made his death quick but I didn't want to attract any attention. I could take on a man or two, a handful would be difficult especially if any of them were my fathers.

I manage to step out of the way just as he hits the ground right at my feet. I glance down at him, watching the life drain from his dark eyes, an invisible mark tattooing itself on my back and burning my flesh. I lose myself to the sensation for only a second but it's long enough that I don't see the fist flying at my face until the hit lands. Pain shoots across my cheek, black dots dance across my vision and an arm grips me into a headlock, jerking me back into a solid body. He says something to me in Spanish and his hold tightens, restricting airflow to my lungs. The abrupt sound of gunshots outside urges me to fight harder. I flail against him, my chest burning as I grab my remaining knife from its sheath. He grips my wrist with his freehand and fights my hold on the handle. My fingers ache with the force of my hold as he fights me for the weapon. The arm around my neck loosens just enough that I manage to rise up on my toes and slam my head back against his face.

He immediately lets me go, cursing loudly. I ignore the throbbing in the back of my head, releasing a frustrated growl as I make a swift turn, my knife outstretched, and the blade slices right through his throat. He gasps just as the first man had, fingers pressing against the gaping wound as he stumbles back toward the door.

The barrel of a gun pressing against the back of my head halts any celebratory thoughts I was beginning to conjure and I froze.

"Quite the fighter, huh?" A feminine voice questions behind me. "Drop the knife and I won't make him take it from you."

My chest heaves as I take sharp inhales of air, refilling my aching lungs. "He can try but just like the other two I'll kill him." I panted, my voice raspy from the headlock I'd been held in.

A cold, humorless laugh sends goosebumps across my flesh. Heels click against the wood floor until she comes into view. I meet a set of glacial brown eyes and realize exactly who it is I'm looking at.

Valentina Jaurez.

How did she know we would be coming? How did she know about me helping the Italians and how did she get Sofia? Questions fill my head until I feel seconds away from drowning in them. My body hurts, exhaustion already tugging at me. The time I spent with Enzo and Luca didn't only weaken me emotionally but physically as well. I used to train everyday with my fathers men until I could barely walk afterwards. It had been months since I last trained and I could tell.

"You're quite the rarity, the first I've ever heard to survive Riot DeLuca and live to tell the tale but I guess when you're giving him and his boyfriend pussy it makes sense." Valentina's red painted lips tilt up into an empty smile that reminded me of Vero. "It must have been something, so good he even came out with that secret of his. That surprised even me and that's not an easy thing to do." She tilts her head to the side, her eyes scanning me from my head to my boots. "I can only imagine how long he was keeping that in and he let it out, just for you." My skin itches under her cold stare but I don't dare show it.

She's perfectly put together, her hair in big, loose curls, her makeup applied to perfection. A red dress accentuates her every curve, her black stilettos making her legs appear miles long. She holds a hand out, her fingers tipped in long pointed red nails that look closer to talons than anything. "Now be a good girl and hand the knife over so we can go visit your father. I'd advise you not to do anything stupid. We may have handed over the youngest Ivanov but we still have the other one."