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Biting back a groan, I stealthily slide toward the edge of the mattress, using the tiny bit of light to help guide me toward the door once my feet hit the floor. The last thing I want is to awaken the beast because then I’ll have to face the fact that he doesn’t give a damn about me beyond what he needs to satisfy his thirst for revenge.
I’ll always be a pawn to him. He’s made that clear as a freshly washed window.
And when he gets what he wants, he’ll be finished with me.
With us.
So as much as I want him to connect on a deeper level with his daughter, I know it will only be more traumatic for her later when he turns his back and walks away.
Because he most definitely will.
I finally grasp the door handle and push it open, holding my breath as if that will stop it from making any creaks.
Luckily, I escape undetected. I slowly pull the door closed, then jog down the hallway, naked and shivering. I pull on the clothes he stripped me out of yesterday and then sink into the plush couch cushion, a deep sigh making my shoulders sag.
I lean my head back and stare out the windows at the calm, blue waters of the Atlantic. Early morning sunlight glitters on top of the waves as they gather speed, breaking onto the sandy shore. The need for caffeine usually grabs hold of me within the first few minutes of waking up, but with the adrenaline coursing through me, more of a jolt is the last thing I need. My head is already working at warp speed to process what the hell has become of my life in such little time.
The plan was to perform one last time and then fly home to Manhattan with my family.
And now? I haven’t even spoken to my family since Danil forced me and Daniela out of our house. I wasn’t able to grab my cell phone from the house before we left, so there’s no way my brothers have any idea where we are right now.
My chest tightens. Will Daniela be scarred from everything she’s seen and heard in the past couple of days? Will she think her mama can’t save her or protect her?
Tears sting my eyes. Does she miss my brothers?
I miss them so much. As hotheaded as they are, I adore them. We’ve supported each other for years since Tato and Mama died, and I don’t know what I would have done without them once Daniela was born. Helping them get back on their feet is the least I can do, and Danil is a total prick for insinuating that they’re taking advantage of me.
Tormented thoughts bang back and forth across my guilt-riddled brain like pinballs. I need to hear their voices, to know they’re safe, and to see if they’ve found Bohdan and Uncle Isai. With a deep breath, I push off the couch and walk toward a room off of the kitchen in search of a land line since I don’t see one anywhere else. He might not even have one. I don’t have one in my apartment in New York. My cell phone is my lifeline.
I push open the door and peek inside the room that looks like an office. It’s simple and sparsely furnished with white walls, a black and chrome desk, and a black leather chair. No bookshelves, no wall art, none of the expensive metal and glass pieces of décor.
The top of the desk is clear of papers. A laptop sits in the center of it, and a sleek, thin black phone sits at the far corner.
I dart over to the handset, pick it up, and dial Petro’s cell phone number. It barely rings once before his gruff voice fills my ear.
“Who the fuck is this?”
A sob rumbles in my chest. “It’s me.”
“Rysa! Holy shit, are you okay? Tell me where you are. We’ll come right now and get you from that motherfucker.”
“No, you can’t.” I keep my voice low, just barely above a whisper. “I have to think about Daniela. If you barge in here—”
“So we’re supposed to let him keep you as a hostage?” He pauses. “The number you’re calling from is coming up as unknown. You must have at least seen landmarks. Give me something, for fuck’s sake. That bastard is going down hard.”
“Look, I love you for wanting to risk your lives for me, but there has to be another way.”
“Yeah, I put a bullet between his eyes!”
“I know you want to help us but right now, we may have bigger problems than the Malikovs.” I quickly tell him about the firefight at the funeral home. “Someone grabbed me. I was his target, not the Malikovs. And if it’s connected to the guy from the concert hall, Daniela and I may be in big trouble. Danil may be a monster, but he wants to find the people who killed his mom. I hate to say it, but staying here might be our best option.”
“You’re crazy.” Anger colors Petro’s words. “How could you be safer with anyone other than us?”
I take a deep breath.
“Petro, tell me the truth. Did you guys try to kill Danil outside of that wedding? Was it you and Hades?” My heart clenches. He wouldn’t answer the other night when I asked him. And I know Danil will make good on his threats if he finds out the truth about who pulled the trigger. So my feeling about safety is only as strong as my brother’s level of honesty.
He lets out a sigh. “It wasn’t me. I was out, waiting for Hades at some bar in South Beach. He was late, said his meeting ran over. I knew he’d set something up with a guy in some motorcycle club. They connected when we were in New York, and the guy said he wanted to talk business when we were in Miami. Hades was just trying to find a way to make some cash so we wouldn’t have to depend on you all the time.”
