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She meekly nods and trails along. I almost take her hand, but I stop myself before I do anything quite that stupid. She manages to keep up with my furious pace across the compound to the main house, with Bambi close behind and on her earpiece muttering orders to various staff.
“Check for drugs,” I remind her.
“On it.”
“Weapons stash?”
“Already sealed.”
“And our guests?”
“Distracted and entertained. Pavel made sure to keep Patterson on the other side and well out of view.”
“Good.”
“What about Willow?” Clara suddenly grabs my arm. “He can’t get Willow!”
I only nod and shake off her hand.
We’re just entering the main courtyard, so I don’t see a need to explain it all to her. The guards I have stationed around Willow’s bedroom are on full alert, hands near their weapons just in case. The one standing in front of the kid’s door nods to me, ready for orders. “Sir.”
“How is she?”
“Sound asleep.” He cocks his head toward the darkened room. I can just make out the small sleeping form nestled under blankets in her hammock. “Went down around three hours ago.”
Clara rushes forward to check on her, but I grab her arm and hold her back. “I need to check on my daughter!” she hisses at me.
“You need to shut the hell up and pray she stays asleep.” I yank her back behind me and return to the guard. “Double the watchhere and make sure no one gets within fifty feet of the girl. If anyone, and I meananyone, pushes that—shoot on sight and get her out of here. Arrange a getaway vehicle out back just in case.”
“Da,pakhan.”
I turn around to storm off to confront the asshole, but Clara is standing in my way. This time, her wide eyes are staring at me in what can only be awe.
“Thank you,” she whispers with tears brimming in her eyes. “Thank you.”
I shrug it off and glower at Bambi. “Get rid of her.”
Clara gasps in horrified shock as Bambi grabs her by her arms and quickly leads her away. I pretend those sounds don’t make my chest seize up as I turn and prepare for whatever mess this woman-beatingmudakis bringing to my doorstep.
From the sound of it, Patterson came alone, so there shouldn’t be a “worst-case scenario” that tears holes into my walls. But then again, I can’t afford to underestimate the stubborn resolve of a man hellbound to get his woman and child back. I know if I were in his shoes, I’d?—
No. Not going to think like that. Clara is not my woman; Willow is not my daughter. If they go missing, it’s none of my concern.
Which means the very loud protective instinct in my body can shut the hell up.
I’m flanked by two of my men as I storm through the house to the main entrance. I slow my pace once I hit the hallway leading to the columned archway and take a moment to smooth out my hair and suit.
That’s the key to a poker face: Be calm. Be bored. Be aloof. But always be watching your enemies for their tells.
Pavel is the first to greet me with a nod and a grunt. “Over there.”
I flick my gaze to the corner of the room behind him…
And almost burst into laughter.
Him?
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