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I sit down and gather him onto my lap. “Your grandpa is off on important business,” I explain. “And unfortunately, so am I. But when I get back, we’re going to play so much, you’ll be begging Mommy for a nap.”
His face splits into a huge grin. “What are we gonna play?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Promise?”
I cross my hands over my heart and his smile only gets bigger.
“So what’s Grandpa doing?” he asks.
“I’m not sure. But I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it when he gets back.” I feel Taylor’s gaze on me. Her left leg is bobbing up and down in a frenetic blur. I grab Adam by the stomach, tickling him a little as I plop him back down on his feet. He giggles hard and worms his way out of my hold. “Go on and eat those pancakes.”
I walk to the door and Taylor follows me. “You have a lead?”
I nod. “I’m leaving now.”
She takes a deep breath, tension pooling between her eyes. “Please bring him back safe, Ilarion.”
“I will do my best.”
I lean in and press a kiss on her forehead. Her hand cups my face for a moment and then I pull back. It feels strange to leave her now. To leave her at all.
But even though my life has changed, my responsibilities haven’t.
“It’s going to be okay,” I assure her. I need to, even though I have no right to make such promises.
She nods, forcing a smile that doesn’t touch her eyes. “Come back to me,” she whispers.
I meet her gaze. “Always.”
58
ILARION
Mila lowers her binoculars. “I can’t see a thing. Meaning there’s nothing in there to see. It’s empty.”
“Fuck it,” I growl. “We’re going in.”
“What?” Dima and Mila both exclaim in unison.
“You don’t want to send in a scout team to scope the place out first?” Dima adds.
“No. I’m not scared of Benedict Bellasio. Whatever he’s got in there waiting, we can take.” I raise my hand and signal for my men to take up positions along the flanks.
Dima and Mila join me on both sides as we surge in through the main entrance. It’s been a while since this place has functioned as a soap factory, but it feels like the smell has clawed its way into the walls and fused itself with the building’s foundation. Every breath is like scrubbing my skull clean from the inside out.
One of my soldiers places his hand on the first door we reach and pushes. It swings back easily, revealing empty darkness within.
No Bellasio guards. No booby traps. Nothing but shadow.
“This is too easy,” Mila mumbles.
She might be right. But we’ve come too far to turn back now.
So, with a grimace, I cock my gun and venture into the black mouth of the doorway. At first, there’s nothing but the putrid smell of neglect, cloying beneath the sting of the lingering soap. But there are signs of life if you know where to look. Nail holes where boards that used to cover up the broken windows have been pried free. Old footsteps in the dust.
I’m walking over to inspect one of the windows when I hear a sound in the corner. I whip around in alarm to see a single chair shoved into a corner.
