Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63786 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Is there something you need, Brooke?”
“About yesterday afternoon—”
“You were right to walk out.”
She looks surprised that I am being so agreeable. “I was?”
“It complicated things.”
She nods. “It did.”
An awkward silence falls between us, full of all the things we want to say but don’t because we are too damn stubborn.
Or proud.
“Is everything okay with the baby?” I ask. “I got your message about the doctor’s appointment next week. I’ll drive you.”
“You don’t have to.”
I step closer and put my hands on her belly. “I’m going to be with you every step of the way through this pregnancy.”
When I look into her big brown eyes I feel an ache in my chest. I mean it. I will be there through all of it.
I don’t remove my hands. Because being this close to her and my baby is the only way to tame the pain I feel when I think of a future without her in it.
“Do you need anything?” I ask.
“I’m fine. And no, I don’t need anything, other than…”
“Other than what?”
“For you to stop being angry at me for something I didn’t do.”
I want that too. Because after days of aching for her, I’ve decided I want to believe her. I want to trust her. Because I’m in love with her. Deeply. But I was programed from a young age not to trust so easily, and this need for caution is ingrained deep in my soul. Trust has to be earned, and when all the evidence points to betrayal…well, here we are.
But that doesn’t stop me from wanting to put this behind us. I just have to figure out how.
“We’ll talk, just not right now. I’ve got something I have to do.”
Surprising us both, I pull her closer and plant a kiss on her head, savoring the scent and closeness of her, before taking a step back and walking away.
When I reach the hospital parking lot, I call Feliks.
“Call Olivia in the FBI and set up a meeting right away. I don’t care what you have to do to make it happen. Sell her a goddamn kidney if you have to, but make it fucking happen.”
39
LEV
“So, when was the last time you saw her?” I ask Feliks.
We’re standing in a tunnel in Central Park, waiting for his contact at the FBI to join us.
“A while,” he says sheepishly.
“So there’s a chance she might stand us up?”
“She’ll be here.”
As if on cue, an attractive redhead in a serious trench coat and killer heels walks up to us. Feliks steps forward to give her a kiss, and she turns her head so it brushes her cheek.
“When I said call me, I didn’t mean eighteen months later,” she says smartly.
“You look stunning, Olivia,” he says.
She flashes him a look. “Your flattery will get you nowhere.”
Ten seconds in her company, and I can already tell she’s a no-nonsense woman. She’s all business, and I doubt she’s easily intimidated.
I offer her a hand. “Lev Zarkov.”
She has a solid handshake. “Olivia Vega. Nice to put a face to the name. Feliks always spoke so fondly of you.” She shifts her gaze to Feliks. “I found the information you wanted. She gave a statement.”
I grit my teeth. What Brooke said in that statement will be able to be used against me. “I need to see it.”
“Statements are sealed,” Olivia says.
“Not to someone of your caliber,” Feliks says.
“Again, flattery won’t get you anywhere. Eighteen months ago, maybe, but not now.”
“What will it take to unseal it?” I ask.
She thinks for a moment, then replies, “Dinner at Edgewater.” She locks eyes with Feliks. “For me and my husband. It’s our one-year anniversary in two weeks.”
Feliks’ brow lifts. “You’re married?”
“Well, it got tiresome waiting for you to call.”
“Consider it done,” I say. “I will make the arrangements.”
Olivia gives me a pointed look. “There’s a six-month wait to get a booking. You’ll never pull it off.”
I give her a smile. She really doesn’t know who she is dealing with. “You will have the details within the hour.”
She tilts her head. “Feliks always said you made magic happen. I guess we’ll find out.”
“I guess you will.”
Her immaculate red lips spread into a slow smile. “Fine.”
She removes a folded piece of paper from inside the breast pocket of her trench coat and hands it to me. “Agent Michaels never submitted the statement. But it was found on his phone right after he was fired.”
Feliks looks surprised. “Fired?”
“Because Agent Michaels couldn’t come up with any credible evidence of your alleged crimes, he falsified his reports so he could keep the case active. Then his supervisor discovered Michaels had used his credentials to get a family member’s drug possession charges quashed. Not once, but a total of four times. The FBI doesn’t like that behavior, and unfortunately for Michaels, this family member was involved in a much bigger ongoing case, which means Michaels tampered with evidence. He’ll probably do time. Looks like Lady Luck is on your side, Mr. Zarkov.”