“I don’t think her cooperation will be an issue,” my brother drawls. “She seems … attached to Lev. Ran right to him.”
Igor looks to me, waiting for an explanation.
“She’s innocent,” I state. “And scared.”
“She’ll go back to her family once they agree to our terms.” My father appears gleeful at the prospect. He must have already decided on a demand. “No harm done.”
I nod stiffly.
Igor doesn’t notice. He’s puffed up like a proud peacock, and it’s disconcerting how little his approval affects me. I risked his wrath, taking the plane without permission, and that didn’t bother me either. I’m not sure if I should be relieved or disturbed by the shifting priorities. I don’t have time to decide. I need a plan before this mess blows up in my face.
“Have a drink.” He nods toward the bottle, indicating I should help myself.
“Another time,” I say. “I’m tired.”
Igor doesn’t argue, but the fervor in his expression cools. He hates being told no, even when that exact word isn’t uttered.
I stride toward the door.
“Bring her to me first thing.”
An order, not a suggestion.
“Yes, boss,” I say smoothly.
Then walk away as quickly as I can without looking suspicious.
TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT
Istop at the end of the hallway that bisects the wing that contains my rooms. A maid tries to pass me. I redirect her to clean elsewhere, suggesting she spread the message among the rest of the staff. Many of them work on a nocturnal schedule, both for security and so they’re scarce during the day—Igor’s preference.
“I knew there was a woman.”
My head turns left, watching my mother approach. My mother has already heard who I returned with, confirming my longtime suspicion she’s far more aware of what happens in this house than she pretends to be due to her frequent absences.
“Igor wanted her.”
“Lev”—Elena shakes her head, then tsks—“an Italian girl? Really?”
It’s a guess. She can’t possibly know my own motivations at play here. But she suspects, same as Maksim, and I shouldn’t be so terrifyingly transparent. The half of my family who outranks me—Igor and Aleksandr—will be no less derisive and far more vindictive.
I remain silent, propped against the wall like a sentry. I need to fucking think. There has to be a way to smuggle Carina out of here.
Elena exhales. “If she matters … you should take care of it. It’s kinder than what Igor will do. He’d rather have you focused than gain anything from the Italians.”
My jaw works as I watch my mother walk away, back toward her wing of the house. I’m aware she’s right—that my protecting Carina places a target on her back. Igor is affable now because he believes I acted for the same reason Maksim had initially assumed—out of a desire to succeed where I’d failed before. When my father realizes the force behind my resistance to using her for our gain, things will get ugly.
I have a short window to decide how to react once that happens.
I straighten, abruptly impatient. This hallway is the only access to this wing from inside the house, but someone could scale the side of the building. Someone could have snuck down the hallway while I was downstairs. The men patrolling the property won’t help, not if the perpetrator is one of them; they will act on Igor’s orders. His leniency downstairs could have been an act. He doesn’t know what Carina means to me, but he knows I wouldn’t support harming an innocent woman. I’m not close enough to protect her.
I stride down the hallway and unlock the door, opening it slowly since the hinges sometimes squeak. It’s dark inside, so Carina’s probably asleep.
A shaft of light spills in from the hallway. Enough for me to find and flick on the nearest lamp. It illuminates the gun pointed at my chest. I turn to shut the door rather than close it with my foot so I have a second to hide the pride.
Carina is a fighter. I knew it the second she bit me hard enough to break the skin. Her strength always impresses me, butit also makes me sad. I wish she could stop fighting. I wish this were over.
“I thought you’d be sleeping,” I comment, flipping the lock.
