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Yulian stays rooted in place. “She didn’t turn on you.”
“What?” I shake my head, not understanding his point.
“Georgia did not betray you. We have no facts right now, but the one thing I do know is that she cares for you greatly, and I don’t think she left willingly. As much as it pains me to admit that our security was breached.”
Pain grabs at me, familiar and sharp. I might be in a fucked-up place right now, but I know Yulian’s words are true, and I don’t know why I ever doubted her.
Chapter33
GEORGIA
My mouth is dry, my head hurts, and the bed is suspiciously empty of the warm body that I fell asleep beside. These are my thoughts as I slowly wake from a dead sleep. More than that—something feels off.
I open my eyes to find myself in a stark white modern bedroom, a different room than the one I fell asleep in. Try as I might, I can't place it as a room in Andrei’s home. It’s cold and modern with none of the architectural charm of the Kozlov mansion.
Holy shit. Where am I?
Cold fear pierces my lungs, stealing my breath. I make a move to stand, but quickly realize I can’t. My wrists are secured to the bed. I struggle against the ropes, attempting to twist out of their hold, but it’s useless. Someone wanted to ensure I could not get away. Now the only question is who.
And why?
That’s when it all comes rushing back.
Piper’s vivid blue eyes flash through my mind. She was the last person I remember seeing. She roused me early this morning to tell me that Andrei had been shot, and that I needed to come quickly. I didn’t think, I just followed her blindly, too distraught to question why she was leading me through the back stairwell of the house, or why she took me out a service door into a waiting car driven by a man I didn’t know. My memory goes hazy the moment we sped away from the estate. A sharp prick to my neck, then the world went dark.
My chest pumps like wildfire, panic clawing up my throat.Andrei. Was he actually hurt or have I been played? Something tells me it’s the latter. Moments that we spent together pierce through my memory like shards of glass. Whoever she is, Piper played me and she’s the reason I’m here, that I’m sure of.
But where is she, and where is here?
Even with my arms secured, I have just enough slack to lift my head and gaze out the window. We’re high above ground level. That’s the only thing I can tell by looking out the window at the dusky sky. No other buildings or landmarks are in sight. I don’t even know how long I’ve been unconscious, though my dry mouth and full bladder suggest it’s been many hours.
Moments later, I hear the twist of a lock, and then the door opens, bringing me face to face with Piper.
AblondePiper.
My mind spins in a million different directions, unable to latch onto a single coherent thought.
She grins at me, coming farther into the room. “Well, well. Look who is finally awake. Took you long enough. You’ve been passed out for hours.”
I scramble to sit up more fully, but can’t. “Who are you?” My eyes turn to slits as she takes a seat in an armchair beside the bed.
She rests her chin in her hands, observing me without a hint of emotion on her face. “You know me as Piper, but most people call me Kira.” Her lips curl up at my shocked expression. “Do you know who I am?”
Shock paralyzes my vocal cords for a moment.This is Kira?
When I’m finally able to speak, my voice comes out thin and scratchy. “Kira, as in Oleg’s daughter.” I’m unsure what I find more incredible; that the transformed creature in front of me is the very person we’ve been searching for, or that she was under our nose the whole time.
“Very good. I guess the Kozlov brothers are actually paying attention.”
The Kozlov brothers—her own flesh and blood. But does she know that? It occurs to me I’m on perilous ground. I don’t know what she knows, what her intentions are and who she is working with. I can’t trust her. Chills run down my spine when I realize her father is most likely behind all of this.
I blow out a heavy breath, recalling Monsieur Coset’s lessons about getting others to open up while keeping my cards close to my chest. First thing is to keep her talking.
“Why are you doing this?” I say, tugging on my bound wrists. “I thought we were friends.”
She rolls her eyes in a decidedly non-Piper like gesture. Kira has a lot more edge than her brunette counterpart. “It’s not personal.” She shrugs.
“It kind of is seeing that you abducted me and have me tied to a bed.” I release a deep breath, dread coiling low in my belly. “Is your father here? Is he part of all this?”
