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“By chance.” Vladimir’s eyes slide to me. “You don’t believe in coincidences, though, do you, Volkov?”
“Coincidences happen.” Kirill throws his hands dismissively. “If it weren’t for coincidence, I wouldn’t have been born.”
“I’ll drink to that. To Kirill’s coincidental fucking existence.” Damien raises his glass and everyone else follows.
The subject shifts from me to other crime-related topics that usually include drugs and shipments and customs.
Kirill gives me a look that says ‘you’re welcome’ but I ignore him.
Once the meeting ends, I’m more than ready to take Lia and go the fuck home. On my way outside, Vladimir falls in step beside me and whispers in Russian so only I can hear, “I know you had something to do with Richard’s death.”
“Proof?” I remain calm.
“I will find it, and when I do, you’ll count your fucking days, Adrian. I’ll finish your life with my own hands.”
“Good luck, Vladimir. I mean it.”
And with that, Kolya and I storm down the stairs.
“Have you checked on Yan?” I ask.
“I just told him to take Mrs. Volkov to the car. They’ll be there before us.”
I hasten my footsteps until I reach the parking lot. Kolya hesitates behind me, staring at his phone.
“What?”
His brow furrows. “The car is moving.”
“What do you mean, it’s moving?” I stare at the GPS on his phone and, sure enough, our main car has already left the mansion.
I retrieve my phone and call Yan. The ringing on the other end of the line are the longest, most excruciating I’ve ever heard.
When the call is finally answered, there’s rustling, panting, but it’s not Yan’s voice that greets me. It’s Lia’s, soft and in a small whisper-shout. “Yan! Yan, open your eyes!”
I don’t speak, because I don’t think she’s alone. I don’t want to give her away for talking to me.
“Yan!” she shrieks. “Adrian and Kolya will be here. They will help.”
“Shut up, bitch,” a voice says in the background and then she screams.
The line goes dead.
I grab it in a tight hold, my jaw clenching so hard, it’s about to snap.
“What happened?” Kolya asks in an unsure tone.
“Lia’s been kidnapped.”
25
Winter
It happened so fast.
One second, Yan was ushering me inside the car, and the next, he was shot. It was silent, swift, and I wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t jerked back, slamming into me.
Blood covered his shoulder, but he still reached out to push me away.
