“I’m sorry,” she lifted her gaze to mine, “I’m sorry I made you come inside me. I…I wasn’t thinking.”
God,the apology in her eyes did something dangerous to my insides. If she looked at me like that, I’d fucking do anything.
“You don’t have to apologize.” I tucked a strand of her tangled hair behind her ear. “Neither was I. It was my responsibility in the end. I fucked up.”
“You fucked up like ten times today.” She giggled in my ear, and I pressed her into me. “How…Why didn’t either one of us think of a condom?” she asked so innocently, like she was genuinely confused.
Her cheeks glowed in the soft light, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Couldn’t stop looking at her and basking in this moment. Before I could answer, she added, “I don’t have anything. In case you’re worried I’ve given you cooties or something.”
“Cooties?” I repeated, enjoying the sound of her laughter. “Baby, if anyone gives me cooties, I want it to be you.” Jade laughed louder and threw her head back. I watched her like she was the sunrise—afraid to miss a second. “I don’t have any cooties either. I can show you a clean bill of health if you want, but now I hope I havesomekind of cooties from you.”
She shifted in my lap and I tightened my arms around her automatically, like if I let go for a second, she’d disappear.
“It’s your fault I’m not on birth control. If you’d just given me my stuff on the first day—like I asked—we wouldn't have to ask poor Andrei to bring us birth control.”
I threw the phone down after texting him and refocused on her. “It’s fine. He can go for a drive.”
But the speed with which Andrei arrived was concerning. I opened the door for him and knew immediately that something was wrong. He passed me the box of Plan B and walked right past me into the living room, where Jade lounged on the couch.
“Good evening,” he spoke so officially. “Jade? Have you been in contact with anyone?”
Jade sat up on the couch, my T-shirt riding up on her thighs. Confused, she answered slowly, “Um, no? I don’t have a phone or anything. Plus, why would I contact anyone?”
“What’s going on?” I asked, stepping into the room right behind him. Andrei merely threw a glance my way before withdrawing his phone and unlocking it.
“I have your girl, you have mine. Tradesies?” Andrei read out a text. “XX.” He lifted his head from the phone and addressed Jade again. “Who’s XX?”
“Xavier,” Jade breathed out before he even finished his question. She jumped off the couch and rushed over to Andrei, snatching the phone out of his hands. “This is Xavier.” She looked at both of us, panic overtaking her voice. “That’s his phone number. That’s how he signs—XX. Because his first name starts with an X and his last name ends with an X—what is this?!”
Jade and I stared at each other, both understanding it at the same time. Gianna picked a different path of war. She didn’t go to the cops—she went to Xavier.
“Olga’s missing,” Andrei said, his voice booming in my ears. “Since this afternoon. She never showed up for her prenatal yoga class. Her car’s in the parking lot, her phone and purse are in the car, but she never made it to class.” I met his gaze, the heartbreak in his eyes painful. “How does Xavier know about our existence?”
He turned to me, automatically assuming this was my fault, anddamn, he wasn’t wrong. I dragged a hand down my cheek, prolonging the inevitable for a few seconds.
“Gianna came to visit. At the beach house. This morning.”
Andrei’s face dropped, and his blue eyes turned black in a matter of seconds. “What?”
“She busted inside. She saw Jade and she recognized her. She knows Xavier is Jade’s ex.”
I laid it all out, quickly thinking if there were any details I’d missed. Damn. I didn’t expect Gianna to do this. Sure, she was a little volatile, but not likethis. Andrei was calm, maintaining his perfect façade.
“When were you planning on telling me this? I called you this evening. Why didn’t you pick up? How the fuck did she find you?” Andrei listed off questions, none of which I had answers to.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged, physically drained from this new problem. “I don't know how she figured out where I was. I didn't know that she would do this. I don't know. I don't know how we ended up in this fucking ridiculous mess.”
But something silver flashed in Andrei’s hands. Jade gasped just as the barrel of his gun made it to my throat, and Andrei stepped closer, tears in his eyes.
“Olya is the love of my life,” he whispered, his hand shaking. “I willkillyou if we don’t find her. I can’t live without her, do you understand?”
I nodded slowly, my gaze jumping to petrified Jade right behind him. “I understand,” I assured him, knowing the depth of his pain, and then I switched to Russian. “Jade is the love of my life. Put your little toy away.”
Slowly, Andrei tucked his handgun in his belt, but he had more to say. "I told you to fucking end it with her. A fuckingyearago, Sasha.”
Andrei suddenly stepped back and turned around, walking past Jade straight to the couch where Jade and I sat five minutes ago, oblivious to all the world’s problems.
“She looks sweet, but she’s a fucking psychotic bitch!” he shouted, throwing his hands up. “Andshe probably poisoned your dog, let’s look truth in the eyes.”
