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Grisha lets out a long exhale of air when he realizes the shape Lily’s in. “Well, just got word, like one minute ago, that our people have Sergey. So, his time on Earth has just been reduced to minutes. His cronies will all scatter to the wind now, including the woman whose arm you just broke. Not only is she not gonna get paid for this, she has to look for a new boss. After her arm heals, that is.”
Lily is slumping at the sink, and Grisha catches her just before she passes out.
“We’ve got to get her the hell out of here.”
Just then, the bathroom door bursts open, and two women walk in. ‘Course they stop short when they see Grisha and me.
I step toward them so they can’t enter any further. “Apologies, ladies. Our friend here just got… sick. We’re taking her home right now.”
Their eyes widen and they back out the door with murmurs ofcertainly,I’m so sorry, andfeel better honey.
Lily perks up at the new voices and realizes, just like we have, that she needs to get home.
“Can you walk, darlin’?” Grisha asks. “Val and I can each take one of your arms.”
She looks between the two of us, trying to muster a hopeful expression, and nods. In spite of all that just went down, she’s still put together. Her hair’s a little mussed, and there’s some black mascara under her eyes, but nothing worse than that.
Amazing.
“I’m safe now?” she whispers, leaning into us both.
I’m pretty sure she’s going to be fine. But I know better than to make promises.
On the way home, we’re mostly quiet in the limo. I’m sitting right next to Lily with my arms around her. She’s trying to act tough, but she gives herself away as she continues to tremble and wipe at the occasional tear.
On the night of the gallery party, we’d intended to take out Sergey for our own purposes. It was business and nothing more. But I now realize that in the period of a few short days, it has become personal too.
If anything happens to Lily, I… well, I don’t know what the fuck I’ll do. I haven’t met anyone like her in a long time, if ever, and I’m not about to let her slip through my fingers. Not now. Not ever.
At least not if I can help it.
* * *
CHAPTERTEN
LILY
When we finally get back tothe safe house after what should have been a nice day in the city followed by dinner, I head straight to my room. I don’t want to talk. I only want to take a hot shower, get in bed, and try and figure out how my life has gotten so fucked up.
But the truth is, if it wasn’t for the guys saving me that night in Sergey’s gallery, I’d be as dead as all those other people on the floor. Sergey would have murdered me just like he did everyone else.
And that would be that.
My boss would send her regrets to my dad and sisters, explaining that New York was a dangerous place. She’d take no blame at all.
The other girls in the company would freak, and most of them would probably quit. Several would leave New York altogether, running back to the safety of the towns they’d come from. Maybe one or two would stick around, at the mercy of our cold-hearted boss, who’d throw them to the wolves without a morsel of concern. After all, the woman ‘has a company to run.’
So maybe falling into the lives of these guys isn’t the worst thing that could happen. I’m alive, for cripes’ sake. That’s a plus. Question is, what the hell is my life supposed to look like, going forward? What kind of life can I even have?
My mind swirls with these questions, and more, until I am dizzy. Am I doomed to a screwed-up life of running and hiding? Or am I on the precipice of something new? Maybe exciting? All I know, or at least suspect, is that going back to where I was before is looking less and less likely. And less and less appealing, when it comes down to it.
Before I get to my room, Artem calls after me.
I suppose I should have said goodnight. And thanked them for saving my life.
Is this the sort of thing I need to get used to?
“Hey darlin’, I know you’re tired, but can you join us for a moment?” he asks.
