Page 83 of Bride of Vengeance

"You haven't eaten dinner."

"Not hungry."

I set down the surveillance photos Boris brought—images of the Riverside warehouse where we're supposed to meet Harrison's "contact" tomorrow night—and move to sit beside her.

"The baby needs nutrients."

"The baby is the size of a poppy seed."

"A poppy seed that needs a healthy mother." I push the files aside, forcing her to look at me. "What's really wrong?"

"Harrison's words keep echoing in my head. About you working for Pavel."

"You know that's a lie."

"I know. But what if there's some truth mixed in? The best lies always have a kernel of truth."

I pull her onto my lap, ignoring her half-hearted protest. "What truth could there be? Pavel Volkov tried to kill my family. I would never—"

"But he's still alive, isn't he? At Pier 17, you told me about him surviving three years ago. And now he jumped into the water—they never found his body."

She's right. Pavel's ability to escape death is becoming legendary. "Yes. He's probably alive. And Harrison probablyhelped him escape. Think about it—who better to help someone disappear than a corrupt federal official?"

"You think Harrison has been working with Pavel since the beginning."

"The trafficking network, the witness sales—Harrison is in it for the money, and Pavel is in it for personal revenge, plus it helps him expand his power and reach."

"So when Harrison says you work for Pavel—"

"He's projecting. Telling you his own truth but putting my name on it."

“But that still implicates Pavel. Why would he do that?”

“Probably because he's confident we'll never get to him, so he doesn't need to protect him. Or it could also be that if he somehow manages to get rid of Pavel, Harrison genuinely thinks he can take his place.”

She's quiet for a moment, processing. Then: "Tomorrow's trap isn't just about catching us. It's about Pavel."

"Probably."

"He'll be there. Harrison will try to kill two birds with one shot, and if he fails there will simply be nothing to point to his betrayal, so Pavel will never know."

"Possibly."

"Mikhail." Her voice carries a warning. "If Pavel's there tomorrow night—"

"I'll control myself."

"Will you? The man who tried to kill Mila's parents, who's been hunting us, who Harrison's been working with?"

"I'll control myself because you'll be there. Because keeping you safe matters more than revenge."

"Promise me you won't kill him on sight."

"I promise I won't kill him unless he threatens you."

"That's not—"

I silence her with a kiss, deep and possessive. When I pull back, her eyes are glazed.