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“Better than letting him fall into the wrong hands.”
Dahlia is right, of course. I’d never let anything happen to Simon, but I can’t let her know that. I need her to believe I’m unhinged enough to kill us all. It’s the only way to keep my lie from being exposed.
I pick Simon up and hold him close, kissing his soft little cheeks. “I’m here, baby. Goodness, you’ve gotten so big!”
Simon giggles as he plays with my hair, his grip impressively tight around my short black locks. “Ma!”
“You put him down this instant!” Dahlia hisses.
“I can’t. YouknowI can’t.”
“When Edvard finds out about this—”
“I’ll blow us up before he ever gets the chance.” I shake my head in disapproval. “This whole time… I can’t believe I was so blind. Can’t you see he’s been manipulating both of us?”
Dahlia sneers, the corner of her lip curling in disgust. I once thought her to be a sweet old lady, but now I can see she’s really nothing but an ugly old hag. Anyone who would kidnap a child to use as a bargaining chip is rotten from the inside out in my eyes. There’s no sense in talking to her, no trying to change her heart.
“I wasn’t manipulated,” she says. “Edvard gave me an opportunity to take those bastards down. Can’t you see it, Natalya? Dimitri, the Bratva… They’re all cold-blooded killers. Don’t let yourself be fooled. They’re all criminals. I was simply doing what I had to in order to get rid of them.”
“So you decided holding a one-year-old hostage and burning Dimitri’s house down with Boris trapped inside was the way to do it? Don’t try to claim the moral high ground, Dahlia. It’s not going to work on me.”
“You’re such a fucking hypocrite,” she snarls. “Don’t pretend like you’re better than me.”
“I’m not,” I confess. “I know I’m not. I’ve made mistakes. But in the end, at least I know I was in the wrong and am trying to make amends. You’re only digging your heels in.”
“You’re sleeping with a wolf, Natalya. They’re all predators. If you don’t see it now, you will. Those Antonovs arenotgood people.”
“Have you considered that I know that? I’m capable of separating the men from the work?”
“Save your speeches. I don’t want to hear it. I don’t need you getting all high and mighty on me.”
“I suggest getting out while you still can. Dimitri’s on his way to meet Edvard right now. There’s no way Edvard’s coming out of this on top. Leave Moscow before the Antonovs put a target on your back.”
Dahlia’s nostrils flare. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Holding Simon close, I step toward the door. I’ve wasted enough time, and arguing with Dahlia is like talking to a wall. My priority is getting Simon out of here. She’s right. I have no use for speeches. No matter what I say, nothing will get through to her.
Slowly, I make my way back out into the hall, holding Simon against my chest with one arm while holding my fake trigger up above my head with the other. I take the elevator down this time, doing my best to keep calm and collected. I’m not out of the woods yet.
As expected, there’s an entire army of Levitsky’s men waiting for me by the time I reach the ground floor. The elevator doors slide open with a softdingto announce my arrival. They’ve got their weapons raised, but I’m glad to see they have enough collective intelligence not to shoot me.
I hold onto Simon a little tighter. As long as I keep up this farce, we’ll both make it out of here. I can practically taste freedom on my tongue. The adrenaline coursing through my veins spurs me on. Every inch of my skin buzzes with electricity. I can do this.
With my head held high, I walk straight out of the building. I push through the glass doors of the entryway and take in my surroundings. There are a number of routes I could take, but I doubt I’d get very far. These men will only chase me. I have to make sure none of them make the stupid decision of pursuing me.
I stop on the sidewalk in front of the apartment complex and hastily rip off the packing tape, setting my fake bomb down on the pavement. I eye them all suspiciously, keeping my face straight.
“You stay right where you are or I’ll let go,” I threaten.
I take a step back. And then another, and then another. When I’ve successfully crossed the street, I turn and run.
“Wait a second,” I hear someone behind me squeak. “This is justjunk.”
“It’s not real!”
I chuck the fake trigger away and keep running, sprinting as hard as I can to put as much distance between us as possible. The jig is up, but I think I’ve bought myself enough space to lose them. As long as I’m on foot, however, I know I’m going to be at a disadvantage. I can’t escape with a child in my arms.
As I race through the streets, making sharp turns and taking narrow alleys to stay out of sight, I happen to spot something. My saving grace. It’s the entrance to the Moscow subway. This might be my only chance to lose Levitsky’s men.
