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)
Brooke lifts her gaze to me. “Feliks isn’t involved?”
I shake my head. “No.”
She doesn’t look convinced. And who can blame her. “Are you sure?”
“He was as in the dark as Vadim and I were.”
Her brow furrows as she tries to understand everything we’re telling her. She looks to Vadim. “How did you know where we were?”
But it’s me who answers. “After Vadim told us about Boris, the three of us split up to look for you. He knew Boris did business at the restaurant he owns on the waterfront.”
“More than a couple of bodies have been floated out to sea from that restaurant,” Vadim adds.
Brooke swallows thickly. “He was going to kill us and put us into the ocean?”
She looks pale.
I want to get her to a doctor.
I weave my fingers through hers. “But it didn’t happen.”
She nods, but I can see her racing pulse in her neck.
“You set off the fire alarm at the waterfront?” she asks Vadim.
“Yes.”
“It saved our lives.”
“We were outnumbered. I had to cause a distraction and hope you could use it to your advantage.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” I say.
He saved the love of my life today.
Brooke turns to me. “Where’s Feliks?”
“He’s due to meet us here, but I’ll message him and have him meet us at the house,” I explain as I pull out my phone. The last time I spoke with Feliks was twenty minutes ago when I called to tell him Vadim had secured Brooke and Enya. “I’m also going to call the doctor and have him meet us at the house, because I want him to take a look at you.”
“I’m fine,” she insists. “Just shaken.”
I give her a soft smile. “Humor a paranoid father-to-be. I’d rather be certain you and the baby are okay.”
She nods, and I pull her into my arms again, looking up at the sky and thanking whatever entity is up there for looking out for her today. I owe you one.
I turn my attention toward Vadim.
“Make sure Enya gets home safe. We will meet you there.”
The sun is getting lower. It will be dark soon, and I want to get Brooke home where it’s safe. Boris and Maksim are still out there, and we’re vulnerable out here.
Vadim leaves with Enya, and Brooke climbs into the Escalade beside me.
I still have to tell her about what I learned from Agent Olivia Vega. And I know I’ll have a lot of groveling to do to make things up to her. And I will. I’ll spend the rest of my life working to make her trust me again. To forgive me. But right now, I just want this. The relief of knowing that she’s safe.
As I drive out from under the bridge, I take her hand and secure it in mine. “I’m not letting this go again.”
“I don’t want you to. Not ever.”
She smiles at me, and I know I am going to love this woman until my last breath and beyond.
It’s the last thing I think before the crash comes out of nowhere.
And without warning, my world goes black.
43
LEV
I wake up in the back of the car with Brooke beside me. She looks dazed but unhurt. She’s sitting in between me and Maksim. In the front, one of Maksim’s soldiers is driving while Boris is beside him in the passenger seat.
I groan, and Boris looks at me over his shoulder.
“Ah, the great pakhan is finally awake. I was worried for a moment. Thought we nudged you too hard off the road and you’d sustained a head injury. Fortunately for us all, it is only a bump.” He claps his hands together. “Now, we can finally put all this ugly nonsense to an end.”
Blood drips into my eye from a wound to my brow, and I feel nauseous and dizzy, but I force myself to focus. “Let Brooke go. It’s me you want, not her.”
Next to Brooke, Maksim snickers. “She carries the heir. She’s not going anywhere.”
“Not to mention she’s a witness, and isn’t that one of the mantras you live by, Nephew? Don’t leave any witnesses.” Boris shakes his head. “Except you haven’t been living by your own rules lately, have you, Lev?”
My head throbs with pain, and it takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about Wilson.
“You know about Wilson,” I mutter, looking out the window. There’s no point asking about my security detail. If I’m in here, then they’re dead.
“I’ve had eyes on you for months as I formulated my plan to take control of the bratva, and you know, I was surprised when you let him go. But then I met Brooke, and it all made sense. Our mighty pakhan had gone and gotten himself pussy whipped.” He roars with laughter, and even Maksim chuckles. “She’s made you weak, Lev. She’s made you go against your better judgment. And it’s your fault she is here.”