Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 92549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92549 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 370(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
So I slid into the back seat of the Mercedes and just held her to me as she continued to cry, while Damian put the bag at my feet and got into the driver’s seat, taking us toward the Ivanov compound in Virginia.
He made the call to Gregor to let them know what was happening, and I just held Marina, pressing my lips to her forehead as she finally settled into my lap, her sobs turning into whimpers, until eventually she fell asleep in my arms. Exhausted by all that had happened.
I told myself that I was comforting her, but really, I was taking comfort in the fact that she was still alive, that I had not failed her so completely that it had cost her her life… yet.
CHAPTER 33
KOSTYA
The yelling started downstairs, and I knew it was time for me to face the music.
Damien had driven us four hours straight through the night to Gregor’s compound in Virginia.
Gregor’s wife had taken their children and gone a few miles north to be with his sister, Nadia. They had decided to stay there while everything else was secured. It had less to do with the safety of the compound and more to do with keeping them away from the planning, the negotiations, and the grim realities of what needed to be done.
When we arrived, Marina was sound asleep in my arms, her weight soft and trusting against my chest. She had curled into me in the car, her breath warm against my neck, her body relaxed in the way only exhaustion can force.
I couldn’t bear the idea of waking her. Not when she had finally found a sliver of peace after the chaos of the last few days.
I carried her upstairs, cradling her carefully, making sure each step was steady. She didn’t stir, not even when I nudged the bedroom door open with my foot and crossed the threshold into the dimly lit room.
Lowering her onto the bed was an exercise in restraint.
Gently, I peeled off her shoes, my fingers brushing along her ankles as I slid them from her feet. She made a soft noise—a sigh, barely there—as I set them aside. Her jeans were next. I worked them down slowly, not wanting to disturb her, even though the sight of her in nothing but her soft sweater and white lace panties sent a deep, possessive hunger curling in my gut.
Seeing her like this did things to me.
I wanted her. Needed her.
I needed to feel her writhing under me, to hear her moan my name again, so I could know in my soul that she was okay. That the fear hadn’t hollowed her out. That she was still mine.
But that wasn’t what she needed right now.
I exhaled, centering myself, pushing away the ache that throbbed deep in my body.
My needs didn’t matter. Only hers did.
I pulled the blanket up, tucking it carefully around her, smoothing it over her body so she was cocooned in warmth. Her hair had fallen across her face and I brushed it back, letting my fingers linger against the soft skin of her cheek.
She nuzzled into my touch, still lost in sleep, and something inside me clenched.
She was safe.
That was all that mattered.
I leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead, letting my lips rest there for a beat longer than necessary.
She was mine to take care of now. Today’s events didn’t change that, no matter what she may have said in anger.
For now, she just needed sleep.
And I would give her that.
While she slept, I picked up the duffel bag that had been discarded in the car and started going through the bills again. There had to be something else in that bag. If the money was a down payment for a hit, there needed to be more information than just a set of coordinates. Something that told us who the target was, what the payment was… anything.
I stayed quiet and thumbed through every bill, looking for any others that might have numbers or a message written on them.
Then the shouting started downstairs, and I knew my time guarding Marina was over, at least for now.
She was safe in this room.
Gregor had his own private army on the grounds.
Every inch of this mansion had cameras, security systems, and redundancy after redundancy to make sure it was completely secure. The compound was now under lockdown. No one else was getting on the property. The only men that would be allowed in the house would be family, and even then, only the inner circle.
Gregor would have spent more money than God to protect what was most important in his life. His wife and child.
Marina was now under that level of protection. Still, leaving her tore at my heart. It went against every instinct I had.
With a deep breath, I looked at her one more time and assured myself over and over that she was safe here. No one was going to come near her while she was within these walls. More importantly, the sooner I dealt with whatever was happening downstairs, the sooner I was going to be able to get back to her.