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"Where is she?"
"Lake Oswego. Because, of course, Viktor would be pretentious and rent a house there." One of the most upscale portions of the area. Typical Viktor style.
"How did you find this out?" We exited the elevator, and Oscar was waiting for us, with Colby in the back seat.
"Let me get in the car, so I only have to tell the Goddamned story once." I handed Oscar a scrap of paper with the address on it, and we barely got the doors closed before the car took off.
Babushka: He won't let her go unless you come yourself. I know you don't want to see him, but he's too stubborn, just like a few other Volkov men I know.
I didn't appreciate mybabushkacomparing me to the man I'd hated most of my life, but I knew she was right. Just because I didn't appreciate it didn't mean it wasn't true.
Slamming the front passenger door behind me, I muttered under my breath, curing my fucking grandfather and him interfering in my life.
"So?" Kaleb asked as Oscar peeled out of the parking garage.
"I don't know what he wants yet other than to talk to me." In agitation, I tunneled my finger through my hair, tugging at the stands and letting the sharp bite of pain center me back in the present. I didn't need my temper to make itself known right now. That would do nothing but hurt Lottie.
Which was the last thing I ever wanted to happen.
I was so fucking head over heels for this woman, it wasn't even funny.
Between the incident with David and this, she probably wanted nothing to do with us anymore.
Not that I would even blame her. Trouble seemed to find me wherever I went and drew anyone I cared for into it.
"Andrei," Kaleb blew out a frustrated breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Stop blaming yourself for this. I'm sorry I added to it, but Viktor is the only one to blame right now."
"And Viktor wouldn't want her if she wasn't our girlfriend." The word girlfriend seemed tame for what she was to us. Little. Submissive. Love of our lives. She was all that and more.
"It's not your fault that your grandpa is an insane, bloodthirsty bratva boss, Andrei." Colby was the epitome of calm. Poised. The things I should be, and probably would be, if it wasn't Lottie that was affected. "Just like it wasn't my fault my dad was an alcoholic. We all have family that we don't claim, but what's happening right now is not. Your. Fault."
Fucking hell, why couldn't I get that through my stupid head right now?
I closed my eyes and concentrated on breathing.
"Mybabushkatexted me the other day that she was in town. She didn't mention Viktor. She knows how much I despise him." I kept up my deep and even breathing. "I told her briefly about Lottie. She wouldn't tell him. She swore it on my father's grave. But fucking Viktor knew. I wouldn't put it past him to have an alert set up any time my name appeared on a police report."
"You have the same thing for him, alerting you when he travels." Kaleb nodded, his cheeks still flushed, but he had calmed down and didn't look as if he were ready to explode.
"Yeah."
"She's the one who texted me a little while ago when she found out Lottie was in their house." My hands clenched into fists. "Why would he do this? Involve her? Take her like that?"
"Because there's something going on and it's making him act rashly," Colby pointed out. "Do you know if there is anything going on with his health? Maybe a scare or false alarm that made him desperate to reconnect with you?"
I shook my head. "Not that I know of. I'm at a loss right now. I don't know what is so important now."
"I guess we'll find out soon, won't we?" Kaleb asked, his jaw clenching after he spoke.
I just hoped that things wouldn't get too bloody.
CHAPTER 3
Lottie
Itapped my foot along with the music playing in my head, trying to distract myself from the rising tension in the room. The vodka had done its job, making me warm and loose. My cheeks were flushed, and my body seemed unable to stay still.
"Lottie, do you need something to drink?" Mariya asked gently, resting a hand on my knee.
