Moving stealthily forward, I gripped the knife tight, then lunged.
Viktor roared in pain and rage, releasing Branna to try and twist to grab the knife out of his back. When that didn’t work, he focused on me, a fist flying and catching me on the temple, the force of the blow knocking me aside.
A gunshot sounded and I flinched, but it was Viktor who staggered, then fell. I scrambled out of the way as his body toppled heavily to the floor.
Branna stood behind him, gun in her hand. That must’ve been what she’d been carrying in her purse. I guess she wasn’t worried about the noise.
My head throbbed from where he’d hit me and both of us were breathing hard. Branna had livid marks around her neck from where he’d choked her.
“Thanks,” she said, her voice too rough. “I didn’t expect that from you.”
I frowned. “I know I can’t do what you can, but I wasn’t going to let him kill you. Not if I could help it.”
Branna’s laugh was bitter and hoarse. “I’ve beat the shit out of you, said horrible things to you, made it very clear I hate you. I would’ve let me die.”
I swallowed. “No, you wouldn’t have,” I said.
Her gaze swung from Viktor’s body to meet mine. “You might’ve let me die if you knew I slept with Blane last night.”
I gaped at her in shock, anger and hurt flooding through me. Blane and Branna had had sex? A day after they met? Blane knew Branna hated me, had hurt me, yet he’d still slept with her?
Branna must have read the look on my face, because her expression hardened. “Kade was everything to me,” she said. “I love him, and you took him.”
“I took nothing,” I retorted, my fists clenching in anger. “Kade loves you, but he’s never been in love with you, Branna. And I’m sorry you’ve never faced it, but that’s not my fault.” I took a breath, trying to calm my fury. “So you slept with Blane to get back at me?”
“You and Kade were fucking like rabbits next door,” she sneered, “a really lovely thing to do to your former fiancé, by the way. Blane and I were both hurting. Did you expect we weren’t the kind of people to take comfort where it can be found?”
Well, that took some of the heat from my anger, and I couldn’t think of a thing to say.
Branna retrieved Viktor’s gun from where it had fallen onto the floor, then handed it to me. “I’ll trust you not to put a bullet in my back,” she said. “Watch the door.” She hurried behind the desk to the computer.
I held the gun steady in my hands and trained it on the one door. My nerves were strung tight, my heart pounding so hard from the adrenaline in my veins that it felt like I’d been injected with ice water. We were surrounded by bad guys and I had no idea how we were going to get out. And on top of that, my nemesis had slept with my ex while I slept with his brother. God, this was so messed up.
It seemed like Branna was taking forever. “What are you doing?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the door. “We need to get out of here.”
“It’d be pretty pointless to get this far and not see if there’s anything on their system that we can use,” Branna said dryly.
“Then hurry it up,” I snapped. “If you do find something, it’ll be pretty pointless if we’re dead.”
“I’m trying,” she ground out, “but they have advanced encryption. I need Kade.”
Suddenly, the door swung open. I sucked in a breath, my finger tightening on the trigger, and I only just stopped myself from firing in time.
Blane and Kade stepped inside, each of them holding a gun. Blane looked surprised to see us; Kade just looked pissed.
“What the hell, Branna?” Kade barked. “I thought I was pretty fucking clear on what your instructions were.”
“Shut up and get over here and help me,” she retorted.
I noticed both Blane and Kade didn’t look as put together as they had before. Their clothes were slightly askew, and now I could see cuts and bruises on their faces and hands. They’d been fighting, maybe with the same guys who’d come after us.
“I thought they were taking you to see Lazaroff?” I asked.
“Point that somewhere else, Kat,” Blane said, motioning to the gun I held. Embarrassed, I lowered my arm. I hadn’t even realized I was still pointing it at them. Then the first thing that flew through my head was an image of Blane and Branna having sex.
“Are you all right?” Blane asked, moving over to stand next to me while Kade headed for Branna. His eyes examined me.
It was only by mustering a great deal of self-control that I didn’t say what was on the tip of my tongue. I’d ended it with Blane, and if he wanted to sleep with the goddamn Rockettes, then that was his prerogative.
“I’m just fine,” I said stiffly. Our eyes met. His lips thinned.
“She told you,” he said quietly.
“Was it a secret?” I asked, trying and failing to keep a lid on my anger.
“What, am I supposed to apologize to you now?” Blane asked, his words bitter.
I stepped closer. “You once told me I’d gotten my revenge,” I hissed. “So congratulations. You have, too.”
“Whatever drama you two have playing out over there, can we save it for later?” Kade interrupted. “Blane, you need to see this.”
Blane broke our staring contest, heading over behind the desk. I remained where I was. Whatever was on the computer, I doubted I’d be able to make heads or tails of it.
“I didn’t realize Keaston had such ties to the Department of Energy,” Kade said.
Blane’s voice was grim when he replied. “It certainly looks like it pays well. Are you getting this?”
Kade hit a few more keys. “Uploading now. It’ll be safe on my server.”
A smell suddenly hit my nostrils, sickly sweet and thick, just as I heard a thin, hissing sound behind me. I turned around.
“Does anyone else smell—” And then I couldn’t breathe, choking and gasping on the cloud of white coming from the vent in the wall in front of me and aimed right at my face.
“Tear gas!” Blane said. “They know we’re in here. Get Kat!”
I dropped the gun, my hands covering my nose and mouth while my eyes streamed, the burning sensation nearly unbearable. I couldn’t see anything and I stumbled back, trying to get away from the vapor inching its way through the room.
Arms closed around me and I was lifted bodily. I could feel us moving, then we were out of the room, the fog gone.
But I’d been too close to it, breathed too much in, and still coughed and choked. I was blind, my eyes burning so badly I’d be crying even if water wasn’t already streaming from my eyes.
Kade, I think, had his arm wrapped around me and I clung to him, trying to stay on my feet.
“Gentlemen,” someone said, “I was told you wanted to see me.”
Kade pressed some fabric into my hand, his pocket square, maybe, and I used it to wipe my face.
“You were told wrong,” Kade said. “We were just on our way out, but if you’d validate our parking, that’d be a big help.”
The man laughed and now I could sort of see him, at least the outline of him. He was tall and broad, and there were a half dozen men surrounding us, all pointing what I assumed were guns.
“You were in my office, accessing my files,” Lazaroff said. “The only part of a car you’re going to see is the inside of a trunk.” His voice hardened. “Now drop your weapons.”
“Not a big chance of that happening,” Kade replied.
“You’re surrounded. One word from me and you’re dead. Drop your weapons.”