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“Thank you for trusting me,” Andrey whispers as I start to doze off, folded in his strong arms.
Chapter 20
ANDREY
A noise pulls me from my sleep. I lie with my eyes closed, listening in the dark room. Isabella is curled up by my side, her breathing rhythmic and calm as she sleeps. The clock on the bedside flashes seven-thirty. The thick, heavy drapes block out the morning sun and keep the room in darkness.
Moving carefully so as not to wake her, I slip out of bed and find my clothes. Now that my eyes have adjusted to the dim light filtering through the curtains, I make my way to the door. There, on the floor, is a note. I pick it up, my heart pounding in my chest.
Meet me in the lobby.
I glance back at Isabella, still peacefully asleep, and quietly open the door. I slip out into the hallway and head toward the elevator, my mind racing with possibilities. Who could have left the note? What do they want? Was it for me or Isabella? The note wasn’t specific.
The lobby is almost deserted, with just a few staff members at the reception desk. I scan the area, and my breath catches when I spot a familiar figure—what the fuck?
“Andrey,” he says, his voice low but clear. “I was wondering if one or both of you would find the note.”
“What the fuck are you doing here, Temur?” I’m trying hard to control my anger and keep my cool. It’s best if he doesn’t know I’ve spoken to my brother. I look around, expecting the rest of his team to jump out at me.
“Coming to find you and Isabella.” He shrugs.
“How did you find us?”
“We always know where Isabella is?“ His eyes hold a warning. “Let’s go somewhere more private to talk.”
He nods, and we walk to a seating area away from prying eyes in a secluded corner. My senses are on high alert, and as my eyes covertly scan the room, he seems to be alone. We sit beside each other on the sofa.
“So why the personal visit?” I glance around again. “Where’s the rest of your team?”
“I was hoping you could tell me?“ His eyes narrow.
“How the fuck would I know?” My brow furrows. “I’ve been driving across Canada to get Isabella to some safe house.”
He raises an eyebrow and leans back in the chair. “You can cut the crap, Andrey,” Temur tells me. “I know that your brother phoned you and told you about the messenger.”
“How would you know that?” My eyes narrow even more, and I’m starting to get uncomfortable, especially if Konstantin has really been taken and the Zhukovs had anything to do with it.
“We have ears everywhere.” Temur shrugs. “And when the commander of the Zhukov Special Forces and heir to the Zhukov Bratva is taken…” His brows rise. “We listen.”
“You fucking well cloned my phone?”
“Something like that,” Temur tells me, and his eyes turn icy. “You should be thankful that I got access to it, or you’d be long dead!”
“Is that a threat?”
“We don’t threaten!“ Temur warns me. “We need to know if you know anywhere your brother would’ve taken Konstantin, Marco, and Hannah?”
“Hannah?” My brows knit together. “Why Hannah?”
Temur’s brows shoot up again. “Seriously?” His eyes search mine. “You have no fucking idea, do you?”
I lean forward, locking eyes with him. “Look, right now, you’re lucky I don’t rip your fucking throat out. You and your double-crossing fucking boss.”
“What makes you think you’d get even close?” Temur sneers, his bravado evident.
“Because you and your fucking cocky boss love to underestimate me,” I tell him, my voice low and deadly. Before he can move, I have my pocket knife out and the point pressed strategically against his jugular. “Which is good for me but really bad for you.”
Temur’s eyes widen in surprise, his breath catching. “You think you can intimidate me with a knife,” he snorts.
