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Someone was watching us.
I grab my phone and call Konstantin.
I’m furious that, one, I hadn’t fucking noticed a thing. And two, this motherfucker, whoever he was, had seen my wife naked. It feels as though he’s stolen something precious from me. From us. A peace we fought hard for.
The fury surges through my hands as I wait for the dial tone to catch.
“It’s early, bro.” When he answers, Konstantin sounds like he just woke up. “Aren’t you supposed to be on vacation?”
“Wake the fuck up. We have a problem.”
“What happened?” All sleepiness is gone from his voice now. He’s wide awake.
“Someone is watching us. Whoever it is took fucking pictures.” I have to stop and unclench my jaw. I’ll never forgive myself for not noticing someone lurking in the woods. “They put them in an envelope and left them at my front door.”
He sucks in a sharp breath. “That’s a threat.”
“Obviously,” I agree. “It’s Petyr.”
“No way. Petyr is not that stupid.”
“Maybe he thinks he can afford to be,” I suggest. “It’s been months and I still haven’t managed to corner him. He obviously thinks he has the upper hand.”
“His men are dropping like flies. No way does he think that. Nuh-uh.”
“It’s him. He’s trying to goad me into making a stupid move.”
Konstantin hums, considering. “That is perhaps a bit more likely. What are you thinking?”
“First, I need to find the son of a bitch who took these pictures,” I snarl. “Then I gut him until he squeals.”
“I’ve got an alternate idea,” Konstantin says. “Petyr has a half-brother. I’ve been keeping an eye on him, just in case Petyr went to him to hide out. It doesn’t look like they have much contact, but that could be what Petyr wants me to think.”
“Tell me more.”
“Kid’s name is Alexei Ivanov. He was born to one of the old man’s mistresses.”
A vague memory resurfaces. A snot-nosed little punk scurrying underfoot at one of the Orlov family dinners, back in the days when Petyr was an ally, not a dead man walking. “That kid is half Petyr’s age, isn’t he?”
“Mhmm. Twenty-one now. He lives in a shitty studio apartment uptown. I haven’t noticed anything suspicious yet, but that doesn’t mean the kid doesn’t know something. I could talk to him.”
“Let’s call that plan B,” I say. “For right now, get a team up here immediately. I want to comb the woods in case the rat didn’t scurry far enough away.”
“Your wish is my command. The team will be there in a few hours. I’ll come with.”
I hang up with Konstantin and examine the envelope again. There are three more pictures inside, all of which are of Paige and me in the waterfall. Two of them were taken while we were fucking. The water and distance hide a lot, but not enough for my liking.
It’s a professional camera with a telescoping lens. Someone knew we’d be here, and they came prepared.
When I hear Paige moving inside the cabin, I hide the envelope under the swing cushion and take my coffee back inside.
She’s standing by the stove in nothing but my white t-shirt. It swallows her whole, hanging down around her thighs. Something about that scene, the way she looks in my clothes, makes my heart jump to the left.
I swallow it down, walk over, and press a kiss to her neck. “Good morning, princess.”
She blushes and squirms under my touch. “Where did you disappear to?”
“I was going to drink my coffee on the porch. But I like the view in here better.”
