Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 141532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 708(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 472(@300wpm)
Ania suddenly cut across traffic, shooting in and out of the cars, timing it perfectly so she hit the exit before the SUV could adjust and take it as well. He was all the way over in the fast lane before she made her move. Within seconds they were curving around and going under the pass in order to get back on the freeway heading in the direction Sevastyan wanted them to be going.
“Damn it, Ania, you lost them,” Mitya snapped. “The plan was for them to follow us.”
“They’ll follow,” she assured, easing off the gas as they came up on the other ramp. “If I hadn’t pretended to try to shake them, they’d be suspicious and maybe wouldn’t have followed.”
“They aren’t behind us.” He pointed out the obvious. He wanted to explode at someone. He was that angry. He’d had enough of these men coming after them for some mythical reason no one knew about.
“The Audi’s fast and will catch up, and the SUV will take the next exit just a mile or so up the road. No worries.”
“We’re not on a fuckin’ picnic,” he growled. He detested that she was anywhere in close proximity. He didn’t want to take a chance she could be hurt. He also didn’t want her anywhere around when he interrogated whatever prisoners they could take alive. He intended that their last hours on earth wouldn’t be pleasant ones. God knew, she already had every reason to run. He didn’t want her to see the real man and what he was capable of doing to another being—or how good he was at it.
Ania’s eyes met his in the mirror. “I know, honey,” she replied softly. “I’m well aware these men mean business. I lost my family to them. I’m not about to lose you, or Sevastyan or Miron, to them as well.”
There was determination in her voice. Heartache. Mitya wanted to kick himself. Dymka prowled just below the surface, an unrelenting, merciless drive to kill. The leopard wasn’t alone in that need. Mitya had the same unforgiving, ruthless, implacable drive to kill, only he wanted to torture every single scrap of information he could from them first. Dymka backed off a little when he was certain Mitya was on the same page with him.
When the leopard stepped back, it allowed Mitya to better get a grip on his anger and dial down the ferocity level. Ania was already nervous about their relationship, and he could feel her pulling back. She’d all but told him she felt she didn’t know him. Torturing and killing those men, even if they were enemies, might not be the best way to reassure her he was doing his best to turn his life around.
“Audi coming up behind us,” she reported as she accelerated onto the highway, somehow finding a small space to squeeze through to the middle lane, and then they were in the fast lane threading through traffic.
She slowed once to a sedate speed and sent a smirk to the mirror as a cop slid silently up behind the Audi, trying to catch them.
Mitya caught a glimpse of the SUV making its way through traffic. There wasn’t as much traffic heading in this direction, away from the city toward the hills and wine country. The SUV spotted the cop and was forced to slow as well. Ania’s speed was just above the limit, and she added one and then two more miles per hour. They crept away from the two cars chasing them.
“Is everyone in place?” Mitya asked Sevastyan. He couldn’t help the clipped voice.
“Yes.”
“Just our people?”
“The ones we trust,” Sevastyan said. “Fyodor and Timur brought the crew they trust as well. We didn’t alert Bannaconni or Perez this time. We’ll handle it. Fyodor has a place we can take any prisoners to.”
Ania’s gaze slid to his in the mirror and then her eyes were back on the road. Mitya ignored the uneasiness creeping into her gaze.
“How the fuck did the glass break on Miron’s window? It’s supposed to be bulletproof and new. That looks as if the sun degraded it.”
“Had it outfitted a couple of weeks ago,” Sevastyan said. “Replaced everything just to be safe. Jeremiah took the car in because Miron was busy.” He didn’t point out that they’d been trying to keep Mitya safe while his leopard went crazy over Ania’s, but he did glance her way.
“Jeremiah? The kid? No way is that boy a traitor.”
“You have to worry about him, Mitya,” Sevastyan said. “He came from Borneo, same as Amory. Drake recommended him, same as Amory. They both worked for Jake Bannaconni at Drake’s suggestion. He could be a plant.”
“He’s not a plant,” Mitya said. “You know damn well he’s not a plant. He’s got ADHD or something, Sevastyan. No way would anyone recruit him for a long-term undercover operation. It isn’t him. Where’d you take the car?”