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A chill ran down Leeza’s spine. She stopped waving and turned her full attention on Anne. “Did you say…?”
“Adam,” Anne repeated, urging Leeza toward the curb.
Leeza dug her heels in, but Anne’s grip tightened and Leeza nearly tripped. “Stop for a minute,” she snapped angrily. “Tell me what you mean. What do you know about Adam?”
“He told me everything.” Anne’s words came out in a rush. “How he was bullied by Jozef and Havel, that he was forced out of the family and separated from you. I know you’re unhappy with Havel and I thought maybe I could do something to help. He’s so big and angry, I feared he would hurt you before I could get you away.”
“Wait… you’ve been talking to Adam?” She tried to yank her arm away.
Realizing Leeza wasn’t moving, Anne stopped too. “Havel’s a monster,” she said earnestly. “It’s why I have to live with Babi. To stop him from finishing her off and taking everything for himself.”
Leeza’s jaw dropped. “You think Havel is trying to kill Babi?” For weeks Leeza had assumed Anne was in love with Havel and that was why she watched him so closely. It never occurred to Leeza that Anne might be afraid of him.
“Yes!” Anne replied urgently, her grip bruising. “I’m helping you get away from him. Adam wants you to come home.”
Leeza had heard enough. “Ayaan!” she called, trying to yank her arm from Anne’s grip.
When Anne refused to let go, Leeza moved her leg behind Anne’s and shoved, throwing the other woman onto the pavement. Leaping out of the way of Anne’s flailing limbs, Leeza saw Ayaan and Kris sprinting toward her. Cooper and Simion were also rapidly closing the distance.
Anne groaned and pushed herself to her hands and knees. “Why did you do that?”
Fear streaked through Leeza as a paneled van with tinted windows pulled up to the curb next to them. Leeza tried to run, but a hand closed around her arm and she was spun around. She gasped as she came face to face with her ex-husband. “Adam!”
“Dear wife.”
He brought his arm up between them, a gun held firmly in his grip.
“Get down!” she screamed, frantically gesturing to Ayaan.
Shots rang out as he indiscriminately peppered the crowd.
Ayaan threw herself on top of Kris, dragging him to the pavement. She jerked as bullets struck her in the back.
Cooper took one to the chest, the impact throwing him into Simion who was behind him. They both hit the ground. People screamed as they ran for cover.
“Kris!” Leeza shouted, fighting to be free of Adam’s hold. “Ayaan!”
He spun her around and slammed the gun into the side of her head. Her knees gave out as her vision blurred. His arms closed around her and his familiar scent of bleach and hand sanitizer sent a wave of nausea through her.
She couldn’t stop him as he half-lifted, half-shoved her into the van.
“Wait for me!” Anne leapt in behind them, slamming the door shut.
“Drive,” Adam ordered coldly, hefting Leeza against him.
She raised her head in time to see Simion reach the van and slam his fist into the window next to Anne. Cracks splintered the glass and Anne shrieked. Before Simion could hit it again, the van sped out of range.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Havel reached Kris, Cooper and Ayaan in less than ten minutes. They were holed up in the back office of a Koba-owned restaurant across the street from the market.
Havel barely glanced at the police cars with their lights flashing and sirens blaring as he pulled his Hummer up to the curb. Striding through the restaurant, he ignored the host who trailed after him, saying, “Terrible business. Shots fired in the middle of a crowd! It’s a miracle none of your people were injured.”
Not according to the text Cooper had sent him.
Leeza’s been taken. Kris is fine. Me and Ayaan took bullets to the vest. We’re at the Chef’s Table.
Shoving the door to the kitchen open, Havel rushed toward his people and his son.
