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Emerson didn’t like the look in Agata’s eyes. It had gone from wild and desperate to cold and calculating. That didn’t bode well for Emerson, and she knew it. The two took a final look at Emerson, who had been trying to make herself small and use the radiator as some kind of shield. Agata reached for the doorknob on the rickety door that separated what seemed to be a warehouse from whatever lay beyond.
Both she and the big man stopped as they heard gunfire echoing in the distance. As all three listened, the sound of shots being fired, shouting and men running got closer and closer. Agata and her accomplice glanced over their shoulders at Emerson before opening the door, checking to see if they were clear and then bolting outside, closing and locking the door behind them.
Emerson pulled at her restraints. They held fast. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, the noise of her own fear almost drowning out the distant sounds of violence that echoed through what she was now convinced was an old warehouse. Gunshots reverberated through the walls, each one sending a jolt of terror through her. She pressed herself harder against the cold radiator, her eyes trained on the door, trying to figure out if she could free herself and if she did so, how she might escape this nightmare.
The cacophony of gunfire and the screams of men in pain created a terrifying symphony. Each bullet that slammed into the walls around her seemed to bring her closer to a grim fate. She tried to focus on her breathing, keeping it quiet, as if making less noise might make her less of a target. Although she realized given the level of noise all around her, breathing was not likely to attract any attention.
The chaos outside the door felt like it would never end. Time stretched and minutes felt like hours. Emerson's muscles ached from holding herself so tightly against the radiator. Her wrists throbbed where the ties cut into her skin, and her hands were numb from the lack of circulation.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a violent crash, and for a split second, she feared it was one of her captors. But then she saw Viktor. His dark eyes scanned the room quickly, landing on her huddled form. Relief surged through her, almost making her dizzy.
Viktor moved swiftly, his presence a calm contrast to the storm outside. His strong hands made quick work of the ties around her wrists. The bindings fell away, leaving angry red marks, and Emerson let out a shaky breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Viktor rubbed her wrists gently. "It's over, Emerson," Viktor said, his voice a low, soothing rumble. "You're safe now."
Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms, his touch surprisingly gentle as he cradled her against his chest. Emerson clung to him, her body trembling uncontrollably. She buried her face in his shoulder, trying to block out the lingering sounds of gunfire and the acrid smell of smoke and death.
They navigated through the labyrinth of destruction, Viktor’s sure steps avoiding the debris—both human and otherwise—that littered the area. The warehouse, which had once sounded like a war zone, was now eerily quiet. Bodies lay scattered on the floor, evidence of the brutal fight that had taken place.
Outside, Cerberus waited. Fitzwallace was standing with his back to them, barking orders into the phone. Later, when the adrenaline had faded and she was safe, Emerson learned how they had found her. Viktor explained they had used geo-tracking to trace Agata’s phone. Cerberus had locked onto the signal and dispatched a retrieval team. Once again, the famed black ops agency had saved her life.
"You did all this… from just a phone signal?" Emerson asked, her voice still shaky.
Viktor nodded. "Cerberus can track anything with the right input. Agata’s phone gave us the location. We just had to get to you in time."
Viktor helped her into a luxurious SUV. As Emerson sat in its safety, wrapped in a warm blanket that she recognized had come from the Carriage House, she realized just how close she had come to a tragic end. But now, she was surrounded by Viktor and those who served with him. His presence was at once both reassuring and disconcerting. True, he had gone to war to bring her back from a nightmare, but on the other hand, he had been quick to believe her guilty of betrayal and theft. She realized for Viktor it had never been about the theft of the priceless Fabergé egg. What had devastated him was that he believed she had violated his trust.
CHAPTER 21
EMERSON
The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft, golden glow over the city when they arrived back at the Carriage House. As Viktor and the men from Cerberus were getting things unloaded, Emerson took advantage of his distraction and slipped quietly away. She saw her truck parked at the far end of the lot and was pleased to discover her keys sitting on the seat. She had no idea where her purse had gone but couldn’t have cared less.
She pulled out of the lot, finding the streets were still mostly empty and the early morning silence broken only by the occasional distant sound of a car engine or a bird's call. She drove quickly, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
On the one hand, she recognized she was almost certainly madly in love with Viktor. She had a vague recollection of hearing him say he loved her, but she couldn’t be certain of that. If he had, then how could he have believed she would steal from him?
After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the home she shared with her sisters. The familiar surroundings brought a slight sense of comfort, but it was fleeting. She made her way through the front door, closing it behind her and leaning against it for a moment to catch her breath. She had been so focused on getting home that she hadn’t allowed herself to fully process everything that had happened.
Tegan and Kendra came running out of the office.
“What happened?” demanded Kendra.
“We’ve been worried sick,” said Tegan.
“That’s not true. I’ve been worried. T was convinced you and Viktor had made up and have been planning your wedding.”
“Wedding?” snorted Emerson, feeling resolve take hold. “That bastard almost got me killed. He had some psycho working as his housekeeper and failed to figure that out or that it was her who took his precious fucking egg.”
Emerson could hear her voice escalate from exhausted and detached to almost hysterical.
“What happened?” Kendra repeated.
“Agata was there. I think Viktor may have figured out his mistake. Doesn’t matter. There was a fight. I was kidnapped. Cerberus showed up. There was a gun fight. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Once everyone was back at the Carriage House, I just sort of found my truck and left.”
“He just let you leave?” asked Tegan, obviously disappointed by the thorn in the fairytale ending she’d wanted for her oldest sister and Viktor Romanov.
“He didn’t let me do anything, T. I didn’t ask permission. I just left. I’m done. I’m tired. I need some sleep, and then we’ll have to figure out how to deal with Toney.”
