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CHAPTER18
RUSLAN
Panas doesn’t say anything right away. His eyes are focused on mine, he shifts to the side, looking over to Osip, then slowly shifts his attention back to meet mine. He sucks in a breath, closing his eyes in a slow blink.
“Her parents are alive and well. They live in Florida.”
“Florida?” I ask. Edmon said it, but I didn’t know if it was true. If they were still there, anything at all.
He nods his head, then clears his throat. “Florida,” he murmurs. “I keep tabs on them. They took their other children and ran.”
“You’re going to need to give us some more information,” Osip growls. “Like right fucking now.”
Panas shrugs a shoulder. “I have no fucking clue why they left. Not really. The rumor I heard was that Vova paid them a hefty price for Isabel, maybe Kevah paid them, I don’t really know. They packed their shit up and left as soon as the contracts were signed, and the check cleared.”
“None of this makes sense. Why would he pay them? Why would they move? Are they affiliated with a Bratva down there?”
“I can give you their names. But past that, whatever they had with Vova, that’s something that only they know.”
“Names,” Osip barks. “Now.”
Panas sends both of us a text message with their names, including the other daughter and son. Two other siblings. Isabel has two other siblings, they’re living their lives, being free and not being a polygamist’s spouse.
There is a moment of silence before Panas stands, jerks his chin, then turns and walks away. Shifting my attention over to Osip, I arch a brow and wait for him to say something. He doesn’t speak right away, he is looking down at his phone, then lifts his gaze to meet mine.
“I don’t know these names, but I figure you can get some information, and fast?”
“If I have help.”
“Grisha and Danill?” he asks.
I laugh softly and shift in my chair. Reaching for my vodka, I bring it to my lips and take a sip. I need a fucking minute. We learned a lot and yet, we learned absolutely nothing from Panas. Not a single fucking thing other than her parents’ names.
“Yeah,” I say. “They’re much better at this than I am.”
Osip nods, reaching for his plate and begins to eat. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I decide to dig in as well. I’m fucking starving, and I have a whole list of shit to do today. I need to call security and get my place completely up and running.
Then I need to get Isabel comfortable in her new home. She doesn’t have anything, no clothes, nothing to really call her own. I know that she needs things, too. I could send her out with Zinaida, but she’s about to have that baby and I have a feeling that it would be too much to ask of her.
“We have a meeting today with Rostam,” Osip oddly announces. Unless it has to do with the women, with the gentleman’s club and whores, I don’t know why he would want me in a meeting. “He said he would like to apologize.”
“He’s lucky I haven’t taken him out. And you have to know that you are the only reason I haven’t.”
Osip nods his head, his gaze finding mine. “Yeah, I do. If I were in your shoes, I’m not sure I would be as calm.”
“I did take care of Azar, so there’s that.”
He snorts and we finish our meal. I send Danill and Grisha a short group text about the situation I’ve found myself in and the parents that I need to find. They both agree to see what they can find, and I tell them that I’ll update them if I find anything as well.
It’s good to have friends, well as much as you can have friends in this industry anyway. They are mine. Looking to Osip, I inhale a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Is this meet going to make me want to kill him even more?” I ask.
He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he stands and tosses some cash on the table. Wordlessly, he walks out of the restaurant, and I follow behind him, mainly because he’s myPakhan, but also because I am now completely invested in what the fuck Rostam wants from me today.
ISABEL
There isa knock on the condo door. I’ve woken, again, without Ruslan being here. I am beginning to think that this may be a habit. I’m not sure that I like it all that much. I like waking up in his arms. I like being near him. I also want to get to know him better, especially since this isn’t supposed to be a marriage like I had with Azar. This is supposed to be real.
