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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lina
The cool breeze blows off the water as we stand under the portico. “There is so much information to process.”
“I wasn’t expecting to hear a love story,” Yuri says as his hand rests on his holster. “But that’s what your parents had.”
“I’m not sure if knowing they cared for one another makes the tale sweeter or just more tragic. My father wasn’t a monster and unredeemable. He was just flawed, like my mother…and me…and you.” I run my finger over my locket. “They had happiness within their grasp but couldn’t find a way to hold on.”
“But they emotionally never let go of one another.” He scans the area and shakes his head. “They died within a year of one another. Like their souls were still connected somehow.”
Swallowing the emotion that wants to pour out of every cell in my body, I close my eyes. The last thing I want to do is fall apart in front of the hotel and worry my husband.
Two SUVs pull up, and Yuri opens the door and helps me inside the second one. “Is there anything you want to tell me about?”
“Just taking every precaution.” He tips his head. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to have a word with Fedor.”
“What’s going on, Vlad?” I lean forward and put my hand on his shoulder. “Don’t keep me in the dark.”
“The Bratva brats are in the wind, and Grigory picked up some chatter from the Cartels. Yuri’s instincts are on red alert, so we’re operating accordingly.”
“Have his instincts ever been wrong?”
“No.” He turns. “Not once.”
“I think Grandmother was right, and the sooner I divest myself from the real estate in Russia, the better.”
“The Vor can help since he’s got connections in the Motherland.”
“He scares me, and I wouldn’t want to impose.”
“He’d get a cut of the deal, so it wouldn’t be a favor.”
Leaning back against the seat, I decide to discuss it with Yuri after the will is probated. The chickens haven’t hatched yet, so I’m still just a seamstress with some nice jewelry.
I watch him stride in our direction with a grim expression and tell myself he’s just being cautious.
“Go,” Yuri instructs as soon as he’s seated and the door is closed.
Vlad drives away from the hotel, and my husband’s body radiates tension. I take several long breaths and know that peppering him with questions won’t help the situation.
I stare out the windows as the busy streets give way to the industrial section that borders the docks and wonder how much of it the Volkov Syndicate owns.
Glancing out the window, I see a black car approaching and wonder why it’s in such a hurry. “Yuri—”
A hail of bullets explodes against the side of the car, and I’m pushed down to the floor.
“Don’t move, Lina.”
Bullets continue to fly, and the car swerves away from the gunfire. “Did they come for me?” I whisper, closing my eyes.
Yuri shouts in Russian and the car lurches with tires squealing against the asphalt.
Why haven’t the windows shattered? The gunfire is relentless and sounds like bullets are bouncing off the car. With his gun drawn, Yuri curves his body over me in a protective shield. “We’ll be safe shortly.”
I nod, unable to form words. Without slowing, the car makes a hard turn as another vehicle slams into us from the passenger side. The noise is deafening. We spin in circles and finally come to a jolting stop as another object hits the driver’s side.
Yuri never moves as he shouts instructions to Vlad.
