“If I tell you where it is, you’re going to kill me,” he says as calmly as he can.
He’s not a total idiot, then. He realizes that his value on this earth is quickly coming to an end.
“If you don’t tell me, I’m going to break your legs.”
Pavel’s voice breaks. “It’s in Red Hook.”
My attention sharpens. Red Hook is a reasonable guess if you want water, space, and controlled access. Red Hook is also a place where a lot of families have interests, which means a public wedding there is a message. It tells Brooklyn that Mikhail is not afraid of stepping into contested spaces.
“Where in Red Hook?” I ask.
Pavel shakes his head. “I promise I’ll take you there myself and get you in,” he says quickly. “You have my word.”
I stand and walk to the table again. I don’t pick up pliers this time. I pick up my knife. It’s not a showy blade. It’s a working blade. I walk back and rest the flat of it against Pavel’s cheek.
His eyes lock on mine, terrified and pleading.
I keep my tone mild. “Your word means nothing to me.”
He starts to shake harder. “Please, Mr. Kovalev,” he weeps. “I have no reason to lie to you. I will even hand you the head of security so you can get the rest of the men in.”
My grip on the knife stays steady. “Who is handling security for the wedding?”
Pavel hesitates again. I press the blade slightly, not enough to cut deep, just enough to draw a thin line of blood. His breath catches and his words spill out.
“Yuri Belov,” he says. “He runs Mikhail’s perimeter crews. We work together a lot. If I tell him to come out, he’ll do it. He trusts me.”
I know that name. It was also in Sergei’s report. Pavel is telling the truth. Do I trust him enough to help me, though? Hell no.
I step back and wipe the blade clean on my sleeve. Pavel’s face is streaked with tears and sweat. His hands are mangled. His hope is thin and desperate.
“Do we have a deal?” he whispers.
I look at him for a moment, then nod. “We have a deal.”
He starts to cry harder, relief and pain mixing.
Misha shifts behind me as I walk away from him. “Do you want him alive?”
I keep my voice flat.
“He can get us into the wedding,” I answer. “As soon as he lures Yuri out, he’s no longer useful to me.”
Misha nods. I leave him there to keep Pavel company until the wedding. I head back toward the safehouse to start working on the attack. We have a small window of time, and a lot to prepare. I gather my men and raid my weapons supply.
We’re going straight into the belly of the beast, and I’m going to get Anya back.
Even if it kills me.
26
ANYA
They keep me in a small room off the main space for most of the morning. Dahlia and Mikhail clearly decided it would be better if I didn’t see the whole venue until the last possible moment. They somehow think surprise will throw me off my game. They’ll get to enjoy my little surprise with the rest of the guests.
The room smells like hairspray and freshly steamed fabric. This room should be a place of joy and excitement, not one that feelings like the waiting room to my execution.
The makeup artist and hairstylist both hover around me, making last-minute adjustments to my face and hair. It won’t make any difference. Being wrapped up in a beautiful dress and expensive makeup doesn’t change the heaviness of this moment. They keep their voices low and polite, which is almost worse than being shouted at. I wish someone would react appropriately to this situation, just so I would know that I’m not going crazy.
