Mikhail nods. “If Adrian is involved, we need to have him followed. But it can’t be your men. What if the mole is one of them? We need a neutral party. Someone from our side.”
I feel my temper flare. “You’re saying I can’t handle my own business?”
Artyom raises a hand. “No disrespect. But this is Calina. We’ll feel better if we have our own eyes on Adrian. We can’t risk anything slipping through because of blind loyalty.”
I want to argue. I want to tell them Viktor and Dmitri would never betray me. But then I think of Calina, how close I came to losing her today. Her safety comes first. Even if it bruises my pride.
“Fine,” I say through gritted teeth. “Use one of your men. But I want to know everything.”
We spend the next twenty minutes hammering out logistics, who will tail Adrian, how we’ll coordinate without alerting anyone, what we’ll do when we find the mole. The anger in the room is thick. None of us are happy that Calina was the target.
When we’re done, Artyom looks at me. “How is she?”
I lean back in my chair. “She’s fine. Rattled, but she’s holding up. She almost bit my head off earlier because she didn’t know you were safe.”
Mikhail chuckles. “Yeah, I can imagine that.”
Artyom pulls out his phone. “I’ll call and let her know we're okay.”
The moment the call connects, I see Artyom close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. I can practically hear Calina talkinghis ear off through the phone. Mikhail and I share a small, knowing look. She’s probably giving him hell for worrying her.
After a few minutes of reassurance, Artyom hands the phone to Mikhail. They both speak to her, calming her down, telling her they’re safe.
When they finally hang up, the tension in the room eases slightly.
I stand up. “I need to get back to her.”
Artyom nods. “Keep her safe, Orlov.”
“I will.”
As I walk out of the safehouse and head toward the car, all I can think about is getting home to my wife.
Only a few hours into our marriage and we’ve already survived an attack. I want to hold her. I want to remind myself she’s still here. Still mine.
Calina
I’m still in shock.
Hours have passed since the chaos on the island, but my mind keeps replaying the moment the gunshots started.
One second, I was dancing in Maxim’s arms, the next the world exploded with bullets and screams.
I can still feel the sand digging into my skin as he threw me down and covered me with his body. I can still hear the sharp cracks of gunfire and my own voice screaming for my sister.
I’ve been sitting in our bedroom for what feels like forever, then pacing, then sitting again. I can’t stay still. My nerves are frayed, my heart won’t stop racing.
I'm only able to calm down after speaking to my brothers and they’ve assured me they are all safe.
I’m so grateful my family made it out safely. Maxim wasn’t lying when he said he’d send men to help my brothers get everyone off the island. That knowledge brings me some comfort, but it doesn’t stop the whirlwind in my head.
How did those attackers know the location? Someone must have leaked it. Someone close. The thought sends chills down my spine.
Was I the target? Or was it Maxim? Or both of us? The way they came after us felt personal. If they were willing to attack a wedding, what else are they capable of?
I wrap my arms around myself, trying to push the fear away. I’m safe here. The house is heavily guarded.
My head snaps up as Maxim walks in, looking exhausted. His suit is rumpled, his hair messy.
