These are not Alexi’s men. These are men who have obviously been watching the club and waiting for an opportunity to arise. I just gave them all of me, with my own stupidity. God knows how long they have been hanging at a distance watching the comings and goings in case they got a chance at picking me off. It’s horrifying to imagine they may have been out here this whole time, waiting for a time like this.

I glance at him moving in and the man from the car is now behind me, blocking my path. Aware of both and my senses telling me how far away from actually...