Page 15 of Beautiful Secrets

Is he…is he smelling the air?

I duck my head a little, breathe in.

Marko’s horrible deodorant. His clothes reek of it.

My chest clamps closed. I inhale silently, breathe out. Grip the gun a little tighter.

You can do this, Mika.

Just remember:whateverit takes.

5

Mika

“Move, and I’ll put a bullet in you,” I say in a rough, deep voice that makes the inside of my throat itch.

It is the cheesiest line ever, but also the best I can think up right then. Obviously, it misses the mark, because instead of obeying, Cole slams on the brakes.

I realize my mistake right away.

He could not see the gun. He probably thinks I don’t have one on me. Which is how he assumes it is safe to stop the car, flick open his glove box, and hunt around in there for his weapon.

I switch off the safety.

The sound makes him freeze up.

“Hands where I can see them.” I may, or may not, have watched too many crime shows in my life. There was nothing else to do—I can’t stand riding horses like my sisters, I have no interest in sports, and the Vasiliev girls were never allowed off the property. Internet? I know it exists…and that is the extent of my knowledge.

I am not even sure how to buy a plane ticket—but I am hoping I can grease enough palms on the way for that not to be an issue.

Cole moves his hands away from the glove box. He tries to look at me in the rearview mirror, but with my hoody pulled out, my face is in shadow.

“You one of Dimitri’s guys, or—”

“Quiet, zasranec!” I shove the gun’s muzzle against the back of his skull.

Headlamps make the interior of the car glow.

Shit. I forgot about the other car.

And the other Scots.

The car stops behind us. A car door opens.

“Drive.” I hate the way my tongue curls on the ‘r,’ but this is no time to try and fix my accent.

“Are you sure you want—”

“Drive!” My voice squeaks a little at the end, but I am hoping I still pass as a force to be reckoned with. I must, because Cole straightens in his seat, puts the car into gear, and starts driving.

A second later, a phone rings through the car system.

Cole lets it ring.

I am sweating so much, I am wishing there’d been more of that shitty deodorant on Marko’s clothes.

“They’re gonna wonder why I don’t answer,” Cole says.