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“What happened?”
“We were in America setting up to… uh…” He purses his lips. “To rescue you.”
“Two years ago?” My brows raise.
“It takes a lot to play out a rescue. We had to plot the perfect plan to make sure we had safe houses. There is a lot more going on than you know,” Pavel tells me before going back to the story. “Lev threw the first spanner in the works by eloping with Stacy. Konstantin had a feeling it wasn’t going to go down well with Stacy or Lev’s family.”
“I’m going to ask you why when we’re at the compound because right now, I really have to pee,” I tell him. “So move up to how Timur got his sister killed.”
“It was just me, Timur, Konstantin, and Valentina.” Pavel continues the story. “We were following Lev and Stacy that night. As we pulled up at Belov Towers, Konstantin noticed some men lurking in the shadows, also following them. I got out of the vehicle to silently investigate.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Konstantin ordered Timur and Valentina to back me up. He was going to watch Lev and Stacy.”
“Pavel, I’m going to pee in my pants here if you don’t get to the point.”
“Long story short,” Pavel says, “Valentina’s pregnancy test stick fell out of her pocket as we were about to attack the men stalking Lev and Stacy. Timur freaked out, left his post, and attacked Konstantin. I got distracted because Valentina let down her guard because of Timur and one of the men stabbed her in the neck before I could get to her. I was overpowered, and by the time Konstantin pushed Timur off him, Lev and Stacy were under attack.”
“Jesus!” I stare at Pavel. “This happened to an elite special forces team?”
“That’s the first and last mistake Konstantin has made,” Pavel explains. “As you’ve noticed, he doesn’t discriminate against anyone. But he expects everyone to know their place and their limits. He also won’t have any couples or siblings on the same team.”
“You’re right. Timur is lucky to be alive.” My heart squeezes for my brother but also for Timur and Boris. “It also explains Timur trying to correct your plans.” I frown. “Why does Konstantin have Timur and Boris on this mission?”
“Timur is only here because your Uncle Roman insisted on it,” Pavel informs me. “Something about a promise he made to their mother, whose family has worked for the Zhukovs for generations.”
“Okay. I have to pee.” I’m now hopping up and down. “Stacy, are you coming?”
She nods.
“I’ll help Lev,” Pavel offers.
Stacy and I head inside as we enter. I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Something is off. I glance at Stacy, who looks equally uneasy.
“Do you feel as uncomfortable as I do?” she whispers.
I nod. “Yeah. One stall?”
“Definitely.” Stacy and I piled into one toilet stall, allowing me to go first.
It’s the longest pee I’ve ever had, but I feel myself relax as it drains out of my body. I finish and fix my clothes, waiting for Stacy to finish.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her. We haven’t had much chance to talk since the thing with Donald Whitman.
“Like I’m in a dream, and I’m going to wake up to find he’s not really here,” Stacy admits, standing and pulling up her jeans before turning to close the seat and flush. “I’m still processing it, you know. It’s a lot to take in.” She smiles as we wash our hands.
“How are you coping with his disability?” I used that term loosely as I haven’t been told the extent of it yet.
“He can walk, and all his bits work.” She grins cheekily. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile since Lev reappeared in her life back from the dead. “You know, like his cock.”
“Oh!” I say with a nod. “I guess that’s a good thing for the two of you.”
“He still has a long way to go with his recovery. The kick to his lower spine caused fractures in three vertebrae, which resulted in partial damage to his spinal cord.” Stacy flicks water from her hands. “Fortunately, the damage was not severe enough to cause permanent paralysis, but it has affected his ability to walk. The robotic braces help him walk by providing the necessary support and stability, but he requires regular physical therapy to rebuild strength and coordination, along with ample rest.”
“Geez, Stacy.” I mimic her hand-drying actions.
“It wasn’t that injury that nearly killed him, though,” she tells me. “He was stabbed, and it punctured his lung, causing a pneumothorax. A collapsed lung. He still needs to monitor his respiratory health closely to ensure there are no complications from that.”
Before I can reply, masked men appear out of nowhere. Panic surges through me, and I fumble for the panic button on my watch—the one Konstantin gave me before putting me on the helicopter early today. I press it just as the first man lunges at Stacy.
“Run!” I shout, but it’s too late, and I manage to fend off one of the men coming for me.
