She flinched when he said ‘fucked’ but she nodded. “Yeah, I totally got that. I’m so sorry that your father…that you got hurt like that.”
He pulled his hand back. “I wasn’t hurt,” he snapped. He’d been stupid and na?ve, and it had taught him a valuable lesson. But something told him that if Dominique ever hurt him that same way, he might never recover. She fucking terrified him in so many ways.
The look in her eyes was something a lot like sympathy as she picked up her wine glass. “I’m still sorry.”
He started to respond just as a burst of staccato gunfire erupted from just outside the restaurant—in the lobby of the hotel.
Chapter 12
Dominique jumped as pops sounded nearby. It took a moment for it to register that it was freaking gunfire! Before she could even think about moving, Viktor had a weapon out and grabbed her around the waist, dragging her to the kitchen.
Panic slammed through her as she ran next to him, her heels making it difficult, but Viktor didn’t slow. He had a hold on her and wasn’t letting go. She was vaguely aware of other men moving out of the woodwork like shadows, guns in their hands as Viktor barked out orders.
It was complete chaos and she wanted to cover her ears, to block out the shooting. This was nothing like the movies. Her ears rang and her heart pounded wildly in her chest as they breached the swinging kitchen door.
The chef she’d met earlier was standing next to an industrial stove, terror on his face as he remained frozen in place.
Viktor shouted at another man who Dominique had met earlier. Lyosha. If she’d thought Viktor looked scary, this guy was even more so. Tattoos crept up under the top of his shirt, covering part of his neck. He might look like a brainless thug but his sharp green eyes seemed to take in everything. And he didn’t appear to like what he saw when he looked at her.
Viktor said something to him in Russian and pushed her to him. She wanted to argue but was almost numb. The man’s jaw tightened and it was clear he wanted to argue as well, but he nodded once.
“Stay with him no matter what. He’ll keep you safe,” Viktor snapped at her before disappearing back out the swinging kitchen door.
She took a step after him, not really to go with him, but to keep him with her. Right now it felt as if her insides would break apart from the adrenaline pumping through her. Her fight or flight response was going haywire and she was having a hard time keeping it together.
A strong hand grasped her upper arm. “Come with me.” Lyosha pulled her with him.
“Where’s Viktor going? What’s happening?” She was terrified for him, that he’d run back into where men were shooting.
He didn’t respond, just looked over at the chef and shouted for him and the server to follow. The two men hurried after them as Lyosha tugged her through another door, none too gently—but not before checking outside it. She heard the distant pop of another gunshot, then nothing. Fear for Viktor swelled inside her. What if he’d been hurt?
Her heart continued that erratic beat as they stepped out into a small hallway she realized must be used for employees. “Where’s Viktor gone?” She wondered if it was a stupid question but she couldn’t believe he’d just raced back out toward the gunfire even if he did have a gun. “Has anyone called the police?”
But the man just hurried down the hallway, his gun at the ready as he stopped four doors down. “We’ll be safe in here. There’s an extra exit if necessary.” He stood back and motioned the three of them into what turned out to be a storage room.
Bins marked with different holiday decorations were stacked on tall metal racks that went all the way up to the ceiling. There was another door on the other side of the small space just as Lyosha had said.
“What’s going on?” she asked quietly as he shut the door. Her entire body was trembling so she wrapped her arms around herself. “You can talk now that we’re safe,” she snapped when he still didn’t respond.
He pinned her with a hard look. “I don’t know what’s going on. Someone is stupid enough to attack Viktor and I should be out there with him. Not watching you three,” he muttered, his jaw tightening again.
“Then go if he needs your help!” She hated that Viktor had raced right back into whatever dangerous situation without knowing what he was getting into. The thought of him injured or worse sent another jolt of fear through her. Especially after everything he’d just told her. She couldn’t believe his own father had done that to him—well she could, knowing who his father had been, but she still hated it. Viktor had looked as if he hated himself as he admitted to her he’d only been with escorts.