Page 100 of Hunt Me

“Wednesday.” Nikolai’s hand finds her waist. “You wore that blue dress.”

“You remember what I wore?”

“I remember everything about you.”

I make a gagging sound. “Please. I just survived a federal raid. Don’t make me lose my appetite.”

Maya enters, and Iris immediately goes toward her. “How are you holding up?” She asks.

“I’m... okay. I think. Everything’s surreal.”

“You did really well back there,” Iris states, her voice gentle. “In the warehouse. You stayed calm and followed instructions. That’s not nothing.”

“I was terrified.”

“That’s allowed,” I say, pouring Maya some wine. “You’re allowed to be scared. But you’re safe now. The guards here know what they’re doing. This place is secure.”

She takes the wine, holding it like it might anchor her to reality.

I notice Iris wince as she moves her shoulder too quickly and places a hand on her back. “Careful to avoid sudden movements.”

“Says the man who dragged me through a firefight.”

“If I hadn’t, you’d still be a captive of the feds.”

“Maybe I would have escaped.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I was rescuing you, and at least you’re alive.”

Dmitri sets plates down with more force than necessary. “Can we establish a no-talk-about-shooting rule for dinner? Just this once?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Tash steals a breadstick from his plate. “You Ivanovs are all about gun fights.”

“Only when necessary.” Nikolai cuts into the lasagna. “Which seems to be often lately.”

Erik loads his plate. “Better than boring.”

“Boring sounds nice right now.” Katarina leans against him. “Maybe try boring for a change?”

“Boring doesn’t suit us.” I raise my glass. “To surviving government conspiracies and federal raids.”

“And terrible life choices.” Iris clinks her glass against mine.

“Hey.” I feign offense. “I’m an excellent life choice.”

“You hunted me down and threatened me.”

“Details.”

“Broke into my systems.”

“You started it,detka. And I see it as foreplay.”

Sofia chokes on her wine. “Oh my god.”

Dmitri grins. “He’s not wrong, though.”

Tash points her fork at him. “Don’t even start. You literally bought your way into my museum to corner me.”