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“I’m just doing my job.”
He nods with respect and turns and leaves abruptly, the door closing behind him as he goes and Ivan wastes no time, saying firmly, “Buckle up, princess, our adventure continues.”
I watch as he retrieves an envelope from the passenger seat and pulls out passports and a wad of cash that I’m guessing is Euros. As he starts the engine, I’m a little worried because anything could happen now, and I’m not prepared for that.
As he inches forward, I watch the doors to the warehouse open as if by magic and we speed off into the brilliant sunshine surrounded by possibly the best scenery I have ever seen.
Conversation is limited on the drive to the station because I can’t shake the dread this journey is causing me. After a while, Ivan says gruffly, “Do you trust me, Charlotte?”
“Of course.” I reach out and grasp his hand and as our fingers lace together, he sighs heavily.
“I’m not sure I trust myself right now.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m liable to break a few rules, along with many bones, to keep you with me.”
“Is there a chance this won’t work out?”
That is the only thing on my mind right now and Ivan says bitterly, “Over my dead body and I’m sorry to say, when you live my life, that’s always a possibility. You should understand what you’ve taken on. My father is the head of a very powerful Bratva family backed by the Kremlin. They don’t play fair, and they break every rule in place to get what they want. The fact I’ve married you will anger them because now they will have to go back on the deal they made with your father.”
“But it’s my choice. Let me explain that to him.”
“If you get the chance, feel free.”
My heart lurches. “Are you saying I may not see my family again?”
That possibility never crossed my mind and despite what I’ve learned, I can’t deal with that and Ivan sighs heavily.
“You must prepare for the worst and hope for the best. If we make it to Canada, we stand a fighting chance.”
“Why Canada? What’s there?”
“Home.”
I stare at him in surprise, and he smiles, despite our situation. “I told you about my brothers from college. Well, the place we are heading for is our command center. We call it Club Mafia. Every single one of us share the same future and past. We are bonded by blood with a vow to change our future. There we work on the plan to free Winter and dispose of our families. Angelo has made that change, as has Flynn. There are three more of us waiting in line, and I’m keen to discover how they can help our situation.”
I’m even more nervous now because of how instrumental I am in their plan to free Winter and I’m not sure if his friends will see things in the same way as we do. I wonder if Ivan has really thought this through.
We make it to the station and leaving the car in the car park with the keys under the mat, we head into the huge station to purchase two tickets to Paris.
While we wait, we huddle in the nearby coffee shop and stare into two strong coffees with a feeling of a storm about to break. I am tightly against Ivan’s side in the booth, and we are facing the window so he can keep watch for anything suspicious. If anything, I am growing tired of being on the run. Fleeing from what appears to be a fate worse than death, and as I edge a little closer to my husband, I pray for his plan to work.
Trying to lighten the atmosphere, I whisper, “So, I have a husband now and I am keen to see what that involves.”
“I thought I demonstrated what that involves, several times, in fact.”
His low laugh makes me smile and I say dreamily, “I think it involves a beautiful house facing the sea. I will make it perfect, and you will come home at night to a lovely meal and a wife who missed you.”
“Seriously. You really believe that will be our life?”
He laughs out loud, and I say, slightly annoyed. “What’s wrong with that?”
“You’re no feminist, that’s for sure. I thought you’d want to get a job, and I prepared myself for a fight on my hands.”
“I can work if I want to. Why would you stop me?”
“And what would you do, princess? I’m guessing you didn’t study business in that school of yours.”
