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“And maybe dinner after?”
“Oh, definitely. I got all dressed up. Took you somewhere fancy. As best as I could afford on a taxi driver’s salary, anyway. And by the end of the night, I’d already be asking you about a second date. And then a third, and then…”
His smile is so sweet and hopeful it tears my heart in two. A sob bubbles past my lips. Before I know it, I’m sniffling softly against his shoulder as he holds me tight, hushing me gently while brushing his fingers through my hair. I don’t understand why I’m so emotional. I don’t get why the thought of a normal dinner date in an alternate reality makes me want to bawl my eyes out, yet here we are.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart,” he murmurs against my cheek, kissing me sweetly. “Don’t cry.”
I wipe my eyes and take a deep breath. “We should really keep searching.”
“Right,” he mumbles, eyes flicking up to the shelf. He reaches out and pulls out a file.Thefile. “I found it five minutes ago.”
I gasp. “Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
Andrei shrugs. “I wanted a bit more time with you.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “Open the damn thing.”
The documents are faded from years of improper storage, but they’re thankfully still readable. Gregor Ivanovich paid for their plots almost twenty years ago and just recently renewed the lease on the space. Fortunately, there’s a bank card on file—along with an updated address on the receipt.
“We’ve got him,” I whisper, barely containing my excitement. “Let’s move out immediately and—”
“Let me take care of him.”
I frown. “I told you. He shot my brother, so I want to be there when he gets what’s coming to him.”
“Think two steps ahead, princess. We could go after him now and mete out punishment, or we can use this as an opportunity to salvage things.”
“How do you mean?”
“I’ll go get him,” Andrei says. “We’ll call a public meeting under the guise of a peace treaty. I’ll have Ivanovich delivered to you in front of everyone, force his confession, and in doing so, I’ll clear my name and you get your revenge without losing face.”
My heart pounds. This is as solid a plan as any, and certainly the first step toward putting all of this behind us.
“Be careful,” I tell him.
Andrei nods. “Leave it to me, princess.”
Chapter 31
Sandra
Ipace back and forth in my room, chewing on my nails as the sun goes down beyond the horizon. It’s getting dark. The house is still, everyone having retired to their rooms after dinner. It’s been getting difficult, keeping this massive secret from my family. Aside from Charlotte, of course, but she’s the other half of my soul, so it was really only a matter of time before she learned about Andrei. I just wish thewayshe found out had been different.
I scroll through my phone, waiting for an update I’m not sure will come. It could take Andrei a while longer to find Ivanovich, but my impatience is really starting to get the better of me. The detective has proven to be a slippery son of a bitch. He’s gotten the better of us once before, which is why I can’t stop worrying about Andrei.
What if Andrei is walking straight into a trap? I should be there to help him—I just don’t knowhowwithout alerting the rest of the Bratva or my family.
After another ten minutes of stalling, I take a deep breath and exhale. I need to get some sleep. My stomach has been giving me serious issues lately, and frankly, I’m exhausted. I thought it was some sort of flu, but it hasn’t really gone away. Maybe I’ll call Aunt Nat tomorrow to ask for her advice, though I’m sure doing so will cause Mom and Dad to worry about me more than they already are.
I crawl into bed and shimmy beneath the covers, focusing on the weight of my duvet against my body. My skin is sensitive, my forehead warm. I can’t tell whether I want to go to sleep or spend a couple of hours hovering near the bathroomjust in case.
My phone buzzes.
I nearly leap out of my skin.
Found him. We’re going to move into position and observe for traps. We’ll move at first light.
Relief washes through me like a much-needed rainfall on a scorching summer day. I can’t wait for this to be over. It feels wrong not handling the situation myself, but I’m starting to realize there’s nothing wrong with a helping hand every now and then. I don’t have to carry the weight of the world by myself, and the only one I really trust to help me is Andrei.
