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I place my hand on his shoulder and squeeze firmly. “There isn’t. I should have known it would end up this way. The Bratva always gets what it wants.”
Dimitri sneers. “What if he kills you?”
“He won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” Pyotr asks. “What if this is some messed up form of vengeance? Konstantin killed our father, now he’s going after us.”
“I don’t think that’s what he wants, but if it is, then I will buy the three of you as much time as I can.”
The tension in the air is thick and heavy. None of us speak. What is there to say? Konstantin has officially trapped me in a corner, my back against the wall. There are lives on the line, and I can no longer afford to give him the runaround. Dimitri, Pyotr, and Luka all look at me like I’m a dead man walking, but I have no intention of dying. I’ll go to Moscow, just like my uncle wants. From there, I can formulate a new plan. I need to even the playing field first, and sometimes the only way to do that is to work behind enemy lines.
“I’ll keep in contact for as long as I’m able,” I say. “But if you don’t hear back from me…” I don’t bother finishing my sentence.
One by one, my brothers give me a hug. Dimitri can barely look me in the eye. Pyotr gives me a hard pat on the back. Luka, my youngest brother, holds on for as long as possible. Nobody says goodbye, but it’s implied. With one last look at my brothers, I turn to leave.
I hope I’ll get to see them again one day, but I’m not holding my breath.
Chapter 26
Aurora
When I was a little girl, I used to dream about traveling the world. Growing up in a small town, all I ever wanted to do was see exotic sights, eat delicious foods, learn hundreds of different languages and meet a billion different friends.
Under very different circumstances, I would have been excited to see Moscow. St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Red Square, the Bolshoi Theatre… They’re all beautiful landmarks with centuries of history between them. But I can’t enjoy any of it, not when my life hangs in the balance, and I’m loaded so quickly into the back of a waiting car there isn’t even time to scream.
Everything here is different. The sound of the language, the feel of the architecture, even thesmellof the city stands in stark contrast to New York. It’s just as big and bustling and full of life, yet I can’t connect with it in any way. I don’t belong here. The unfamiliar streets and faces and fashion give way to a feeling of homesickness. Being here is so surreal, like I’ve been plucked out of my own reality and dropped into someone else’s.
Charlotte and I are in the back seat of the black SUV. There are guards on either side of us. The windows are thick and most likely bulletproof and even the driver is armed with his own pistol. Konstantin and Catherina got into their own vehicle upon landing, surrounded on all sides by an impressive and intimidating bodyguard detail.
Konstantin’s power has never been more obvious. Now that he’s back on home turf, he strides with double the confidence. Like he’s untouchable. His men, all hardened and tough, look at and follow him with such adoration it’s almost a form of worship.
In many ways, I see Mikhail in him. They both have people’s respect, their attention. Their commanding presence can be felt the moment they step into a room. I wonder if it runs in the family, a natural quality that comes with being a leader. It’s the same stoicism, the same control…
The main difference is Konstantin’s violent edge.
I’m in the lion’s den now. Hopefully he doesn’t get hungry any time soon.
We drive for what feels like hours. Maybe it’s only twenty minutes, but I have no clue. I’m too numb, still struggling to process everything that’s happened. Catherina’s set up, my suspected pregnancy, Konstantin’s plan to lure Mikhail to Russia. I have bits and pieces of the overall puzzle, but I don’t have enough right now to see the bigger picture.
We’re taken to some sort of compound. Tall wire fences surround the perimeter of the property, armed guards on patrol with a security booth out front to check IDs before we’re waved on through.
The house itself is actually more of a mansion, three times bigger than Catherina’s villa with three floors, massive windows, and what looks to be a warehouse just off to the side. It sits atop a large hill, providing the perfect vantage point for its residents. They’d be able to see their enemies coming from all sides. Strategically speaking, it’s brilliant. If it weren’t for the feeling of impending doom crawling all over my skin, I might have enjoyed the view more.
Guards drag us out of the car, throwing us over their shoulders like nothing more than sacks of potatoes. I squirm and I kick and I curse them out, but none of them understand what I’m saying. If they speak English, it’s minimal, and I have a sneaking suspicion none of them are jumping at the bit to learn for my sake.
They carry us into the mansion, moving as a unit. They move so quickly I genuinely think I’m going to be sick for the umpteenth time today. They finally dump Charlotte and me in a room, thankfully on the soft surface of a four-post bed. One of the guards, clad in all black, pulls a knife from his utility belt. Charlotte screams against her gag, only quieting down in confusion when he cuts us free of our restraints.
She rips the gag out of her mouth. “Aurora, what thefuck!”
She clings to me, casting a tearful glare at all the guards now standing watch. They’ve got the windows and the doors to the room covered. I suppose we could always try and charge our way through, but they’re armed and we’re outnumbered. I don’t like our odds of survival.
I hug her close, stroking her hair. “Just calm down, okay? We’re going to figure this out.”
“I’m sorry,” she blurts out. “About our fight. It was so stupid.”
“Don’t even worry about it, Cee. I’ve totally forgotten all about it.”
“They nabbed me at the club. I wasn’t having any fun without you. I was going to call you to apologize, so I left and that’s when they grabbed me. They thought I was you.”
