He adjusted himself on the bed, wincing slightly. “Ribs still hurt like a bitch, but the doc says my last batch of scans came back clear. They want me to stay a few more days to be on the safe side, but after that I get to leave. They don’t want me traveling just yet, though, so I’ll have to stick around here for a bit.”
“You can come stay in the pool house.”
“I figured you’d want to get back to Georgia as soon as possible. I know how much you hate Miami.”
“That I do,” I chuckled under my breath, glancing out the window.
The city skyline shimmered in the late-morning sun — glass towers, palm trees, and the illusion of paradise.
It was suffocating.
“But I have some business here in town I’d like to see to before heading back.”
“And what would that be?” he asked, his interest piqued.
He knew me well enough to recognize my tone. That the business I referred to wasn’t about quarterly earnings or potential investors.
“I’m thinking of paying Mikhail Volkov a visit.”
This certainly earned a reaction, Blake’s eyes widening, his jaw dropping.
“The Pakhan of the Miami Bratva?”
“Last I checked, he still holds the title,” I replied evenly.
“And what exactly do you intend to talk to him about?”
“What do you think?”
I leaned back in the uncomfortable hospital chair, as if I were discussing an appointment with a potential client instead of my plan to walk into the proverbial lion’s den and hope to make it out alive.
“Sarah,” he exhaled.
“Exactly.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea? This is the Bratva you’re talking about.”
“I’m aware.”
“Then you’re aware of their…reputation.”
“Of course.”
“Henry…” His tone shifted. Less sarcastic. More serious. Or perhaps concerned.
He leaned forward carefully, wincing as his injuries protested against the movement.
“I understand your reasons. But you killed…what? Three of his men?”
“Four,” I corrected.
The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as the sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the back of my throat. Monitors beeped in a steady rhythm, making Blake’s momentary silence seem even louder.
“And you expect to walk up to the Pakhan and have him be okay with that?” he asked incredulously.
“I’m more than aware of the risks. Right now, the Bratva is the only link I have to where Sarah could be. We know the same man who attempted to take Ariana was seen in the background of one of Sarah’s videos around the time of her disappearance. We also know Victor had some sort of arrangement with the Bratva, that he met with Nikolai Volkov, the Obshchak, mere hours before Ariana was abducted by one of their soldiers. It’s entirely possible someone in their organization will know where Sarah is.”
“If she’s even still alive,” Blake shot back. “You're basing all of this on something Victor told Ariana. Not exactly the most trustworthy source.”
