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Maksim fired from the opposite side, forcing the shooter away from the window.

The laser didn’t reappear, but my pulse refused to slow. I keyed the radio clipped beneath my jacket. “Sniper northeast of the apartment. Lock down the street and bring the second vehicle to the rear exit. No one enters this building.”

Anika shoved my shoulder. “Seriously, Roman. Can’t breathe.”

Probably because all of my weight pressed her into the floor. I shifted enough to take my weight off without exposing her to the window. “Are you hit?”

“Only by a Russian built like a concrete slab.” She wiggled her hips and took a shallow breath, glancing past me at the shattered glass. Her face lost what little color it had. “Someone fucking shot at me. How rude.”

“Your powers of observation are remarkable.” I ran my hands over her ribs, stomach and arms despite her glare. No blood. No wounds. I checked her again, just to be sure, before I allowed relief in. It hit with a vicious twist that pissed me off. “Can you run?”

“Never been great at it, but yeah.” She sighed when I didn’t laugh. “Right. Serious moment.”

I wished I had the capacity to laugh, but my mind refused to move past the danger. “Stay low.” I grabbed the ledger from where it had fallen and shoved it beneath my jacket. Maksim had the photo, and I’d seen him shove it into his pocket. There was no safer place to be. “We’re leaving through the rear.”

Anika made a lewd gesture with her hands, then laughed to herself, shaking her head and snorting. “I’m not apologizing again. It’s how I deal with stress.”

“I’m all for it. Just can’t participate.” My throat was too tight. My body coiled in preparation of the run.

One of our guards rushed in with body armor held in outstretched arms. I took it, pulled Anika semi-upright, and wrapped the vest around her torso.

Her gaze dropped while I fastened the side straps. “You keep these in the car?”

“Yes.” I finished the straps and grimaced. “Wish I had a helmet.”

Kirill crawled back from the window. Tiny cuts marked one cheek where the glass had scratched him, but none appeared deep. “He’s gone dark.”

“Doesn’t mean he left.” Just that we couldn’t see him anymore. I drew my gun and pointed toward the hall. “Maksim first. Anika between us. Kirill takes the rear.”

“You realize we also know how to evacuate a building.” Kirill checked his magazine, then dropped a kiss on top of Anika’s head. “But he brings up a good point. I’d love to take your rear.”

Anika’s smile popped so wide she might as well have been the sun.

I nudged Anika into position and glared at Kirill. “Then this should be easy for you.”

Maksim gave me the hand signal for ready and stepped into the hall. Two guards went ahead of him while another pair took the second stairwell. Anika stayed close as we moved, one hand gripping the back of Maksim’s jacket. I kept my palm against her spine and my body between her and any threat.

The stairwell door banged open below us, and I swung my weapon down and around before our men called out the clearance code.

We descended fast, boots pounding three flights while radio traffic fed me updates. At the ground floor, Maksim stopped us behind the fire door. A guard outside confirmed the armored vehicle had blocked the alley and smoke covered the path between the exit and the SUV’s open door.

“Don’t stop. Not for any reason.” I gave Anika a tiny push when Maksim began to move, and we crowded in close together, crossing the alley inside a wall of gray smoke.

Maksim dove in, pulled Anika after him, and then we were inside and moving, taking the first corner fast enough that Kirill crashed head first into the bench across from us.

“Ow.” He strapped himself in and scowled toward the front. “A little warning would be appreciated.”

“We’re being shot at.” I snapped at him and secured Anika’s seatbelt. “There’s your fucking warning.”

Her eyes were blown wide with fear, and she hadn’t made a single quip since we left her apartment. It was becoming real for her, and her body wanted her to shut down, to disassociate from the whole situation to preserve her mindset.

I pinched her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “Does it hurt when you breathe?”

She took a deep breath, exactly as I’d wanted, and shook her head, a hint of her sass coming back when she grinned. “Only when you tackle me.” She looked over and gasped. “Roman, you’re bleeding.”

I checked my hand when she pointed and pulled out a shard of glass. “It’s nothing.” Compared to getting her out safely, I’d take a million shards of glass.

She dug into her pocket and pulled out a tissue, folded it twice, and pressed it to the wound. “Hold it there until it stops bleeding.”