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“The stakes are higher,” I finished for him.

I felt the same way. It was a more recent and fresher rationalization that I’d had to come to terms with, but it was a sobering one I couldn’t deny. It was no longer a matter of surviving for myself. I had to incorporate risks with a new analysis—whether anything I did could compromise their happiness.

For a while longer, we shifted the conversation into what, precisely, we could do with the new intel that Louisa, Wren, and the other IT specialists had been gathering for us.

Checking all of the properties associated with Gregori was a must, but that could turn into a problematic and wasteful exercise. There were so many places to consider.

Next in our priorities was the need to locate Vladimir Konstantin. He was the sniper who had to have been positioned to take out Adrik, and that grievance wouldn’t be permissible.

We also had to keep an eye on Rico Johnson. He had done us dirty, double-crossing us, as well as other Bratvas and crime families, and that wouldn’t stand. He had to pay for his wrongdoings, for even thinking about setting us up to be attacked by Gregori.

Late into the night, we stayed out as the night sky claimed the atmosphere. We discussed who could handle what as we solidified the top goal of ending Gregori’s network.

Just when I planned to leave and go home to Louisa, my phone pinged with a text.

Alexei’s phone buzzed too, and I assumed it was the same message sent to both of us. Adrik as well, since he got his phone out and checked the screen.

Louisa: He’s leaving the country. Flight itinerary is below.

“That stupid fucker,” I muttered.

She sent the flight description for Owen Bilsen’s plans to run away to Canada.

Louisa: The flight was tagged from the tracking code we put on his ID.

Adrik looked up at me. “Do you want to take care of this one?”

I stood, ready as ever. I was looking forward to killing someone who’d done something wrong to Louisa. “Do you even have to ask that?”

Cracking my knuckles and looking forward to making Lousia’s former supervisor pay for putting her in danger—not to mention how shitty he’d acted toward her—I bade them farewell.

Nikolai: I’m leaving now to go find him.

Nikolai: I won’t be home until late.

Louisa: Don’t rush. Please be careful.

Louisa: That’s a six-hour drive to the airport he’s headed for.

Nikolai: I’m leaving now, and yes, it’s a long drive. You don’t have to wait up for me.

I’d need to leave now to make it on time. If that asshole was trying to leave the country, he was aware that the wrong people were hunting him down.

Fuck around and find out, asshole…

Louisa: Ok. Brady asked if Paloma and I would have a ‘camp out’ in the living room tonight, so we’ll be doing that.

Nikolai: Have fun. Wish I was there.

Louisa: You can join in on the next one.

I tapped one more message, but I deleted it on second thought.

When I told her I loved her, I wanted to do it in person, to follow up those three important words with a kiss.

It shouldn’t be in a text. Not for the first time. Even I knew that, and I’d never told a woman that trio of words. Not once in my life.

All the women I’d known before her didn’t matter. They were just quick fucks. Meaningless fucks. Louisa was the one, and I counted on telling her that I loved her every day for the rest of our lives.