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Ice runs through my chest and into every one of my extremities.
Holy mother of disaster. For two million dollars, every piece of crap in the world would look for her.
My voice is hard and uncompromising. “You’re going to give us everything. All of the details! Do you hear me? You do, and I’ll make sure your mother gets whatever care she needs. If I find out you’ve omitted anything, she won’t have a son to take care of her. Do you UNDERSTAND?”
He tries to nod, but can’t. He croaks out his reply. “Yes. Yes. I will.”
I drop my hold on his head and go to Simona’s side. When I kneel down next to her, she’s almost completely shut down. Eyes glassy, face dangerously blank. She has the weight of something in her expression that I can’t fathom. I grip her shoulder. “Hey, why don’t you go get some water, take a break. Look for something warmer to put on. I think we’re going to be here a while.”
When she doesn’t move, I use her hand to pull her up. “Let’s get you out of here for a few minutes.”
Over my shoulder, I warn, “Pavel. I know all the ways to hurt you that won’t kill you. Keep that in mind in case you have the urge to try to get away.”
He half groans, half whimpers as Simona follows me down the corridor of the narrow apartment. I turn into the bathroom, pulling her in behind me. The door closes with a squeak.
Jesus. What a mind-fuck. It wrecks me to feel her shivering when I pull her into my arms. “You’re not alone.”
With surprising force, she throws her arms around me.
I kiss the top of her head. “It’s okay. We’ll figure this out together.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The cold tile burns at my bare feet. But the warmth of Scotch’s strong arms offers the only solace I know I’ll find in the midst of this jacked up situation.
So, I let him hold me, too stunned to talk. Too terrified to admit that I am being hunted.
It was one thing to be chased when I was a spy… that was part of the game. This, somehow, feels different. I’m not to be killed. I’m to be collected.
For someone who says he owns me.
When I finally find my voice, it’s bitter and cold. “I don’t belong to anyone.”
Scotch smooths his hand down my hair. “No, you don’t, babe.”
“I’m disturbed that I carry some kind of recognizable mark…”
Scotch tilts my face up and sternly studies the mark on my cheek. I wondered about this little moon. It’s perfect. Almost too perfect for a natural mark. His calloused thumb rubs over it again. “It’s a natural birthmark. Unique, though.”
Clenching his t-shirt, I feel myself swaying.
The worry in Scotch’s face grows. And the fear and uncertainty inside of me take on a life of their own. Consuming me from the tip of my cold toes to the top of my crawling scalp.
He pulls me tighter, nestling me in his strength. When he lets me go, he sheds his black leather coat and wraps it around me. “Are you okay enough to continue? If you don’t want to, I can take it from here.”
I push a shaky hand into my bottle-brown hair. He brushes his lips across my temple as his arms band around me.
“No. I want to hear everything.”
He reaches into the pocket of his jacket and pulls out his cell phone, suddenly. “I need to check in with the team. Andre’s on the streets looking for you. Everyone’s been worried sick.”
My chest squeezes with guilt. It’s an unfamiliar sensation. So many years on my own. Hiding. Working in stealth. You never get too close to anyone.
Watching my face as if he’s reading me, he leans down and plants a swift kiss. “Don’t let him scare you. I’m here with you now, the Agile Team is ready to do whatever we need them to do. We’ll kick those sons of bitches to Antarctica and back.”
The ferocity in his voice does something to me. It bolsters me. And it makes me want something with this man that I shouldn’t. A future.
Because I might not have one to share.