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Less than thirty minutes later, after I told Aleksei I would just ride along with Ainsley, we are heading out of the gated community. It hurts that we just got married and he’s already back to work. It’s as if our wedding meant nothing to him, but then I have to remind myself that he only married me to protect me. We aren’t like Dmitri and Lennon, who really love each other.
Ainsley directs her driver to one of the large outside malls and tells him to drop us off. Guards exit another car behind us and follow at a distance. We walk in and out of several businesses, taking our time, before we come to the one we will use to escape. Originally, Ainsley was going to stay back and try to distract them into going in another direction, but now she’s decided to run with me.
Ainsley tells the salesgirl that she needs to escape her abusive ex-boyfriend, who is stalking us and points at one of the guards. She plays it up, and the girl gives in and shows us the back exit. We grab some clothes and head for the dressing room, where we drop the items and rush for the back door. There is a car already waiting for us, and Ainsley smiles.
“I still have friends,” she says.
I look at the guy and then to her. Something doesn’t feel right. She looks around and pushes me into the car.
“Go. They’re coming,” she yells, and the car takes off, the door slamming closed as he accelerates.
I turn around and see Ainsley standing there, waving at me. I turn to the guy driving.
“Where are you taking me?”
He doesn’t answer right away. “I’m supposed to take you to a bus station out of town. But Ainsley doesn’t pay enough, so I got a better buyer.” He laughs, and I reach for the door handle, but there isn’t one.
He takes me around Vegas, heading toward Henderson, and finally to MacDonald Highlands. I know Barone has a place out here, but so do several others in the Italian mob. When he stops at a gate and buzzes, I’m still working out a way to get out of here. I only have one option. I carefully reach into my pocket and click my phone to dial Aleksei. He’s going to be so angry, and I worry he’ll say I’m too much and have me sent away to further protect me. However, I can’t worry about that now. I have to focus on getting out of this situation.
“Hello, lisichka,” he says at the same time that someone responds on the intercom. I thank everything holy that the timing was perfect, and my kidnapper didn’t hear Aleksei.
“Where are we?” I say loud enough that I hope Aleksei can hear me. “Why are you giving me to the Italians?”
“Like I said, your sister couldn’t pay as much as this guy could.” He laughs, and I cringe as I watch the gates open and he pulls through.
“Where are we?” I ask again.
“You’ll see.”
The front door opens and out walks Giovanni Costa. I recognize him from all the research I’ve been doing. Shit, I need Aleksei to know where I am.
“Is that Giovanni Costa?” I ask the guy.
“Yeah. Seems he wants you for a couple reasons. You’re the hacker everyone is looking for. He’s paying more than his boss, Barone, is right now. Something about he knows you’ve been digging into your father’s past and found out about a transaction they made together.”
I need to play dumb. I thought Aleksei said he was going to take care of all the families. So why does Barone still have a price on my head?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play dumb, bitch. I know you and your sister are the ones who were giving all the families issues. Your sister hired me a couple times because I’m a runner for the Irish.”
“Please don’t do this.”
“Too late.”
He gets out of the car and comes around to my side to open my door. Costa walks up to me.
“Hello, Mrs. Belyaev, welcome to my home. You know why you are here.”
Costa is only about four inches taller than me. He has a head full of dark hair except for the gray at his temples. His dark brown eyes are wide set over his large nose. His body is on the bigger side but not from exercise, it’s more from overindulging in the food he eats. On initial thought, I decide to play dumb with him too.
“I have no idea why I’m here, but my husband will be upset when he finds out. I believe that Andrei and Barone came to an agreement about me.” I don’t know if it’s true, but I hope it will at least buy me time for Aleksei to get to me.
His fist comes flying at me before I can dodge it, and it slams into my face. I cry out as my body flies back into the side of the car, where I fall to the ground.
“Please don’t,” I beg as I look up.
His foot comes down hard on my hand, and I scream in pain as I cradle my hand to my chest. “Please stop.” My tears fall down my face.
