Page 3 of Lash

I keep the phone to my ear with my left hand and clutch the pistol with my right, finger outside the trigger guard as I was taught.

A few moments later, he comes back on the line. "Someone is on the way," he says. "He'll be there in a minute or two. Do you see anyone?”

"No. No one. Nothing. I didn't hear anything, Tata."

A low growl. "The bastards won't give up, will they?" He sighs. "Stay right where you are. My man is driving a black Range Rover. You know him—it's Filip."

My heart is pounding—I'm too scared to be upset, yet, but later I'll mourn. Georg has been my driver and bodyguard since I was in primary school.

A squeal of tires announces Filip’s arrival—a black Range Rover screeches to a halt in the road; the driver’s door flies open and Filip jogs toward us.

Filip is one of my favorites of Tata's men. He’s young, handsome, and nice, plus he's well-groomed and doesn't smoke. He rounds the hood of the Rover and trots up the steps, reaching for my arm.

"I've got you, Ms. Juric. Come with me, please."

I tug my arm away. "Ana and Katya first, Filip."

"My orders are—"

"I don't give a damn!" I snap. "They're my employees and I will not leave without them."

Filip sighs. "Very well." He gestures toward the car. "Ladies—please."

Huddling together, my girls shuffle down the steps, trying to hide their eyes from the gruesome sight of Georg's body and the gallons of blood.

Filip glances back at me, an odd, sad look in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Ms. Juric.”

"Sorry?"

I don't get anything else out—before I can utter another word, Filip draws his pistol from the shoulder holster and fires two shots—BANG-BANG!Ana and Katya topple forward, red holes blasted through the front of their skulls.

Shocked, I forget my own pistol for a second too long. Filip snatches it from my hand and then puts the hot round barrel of his against my temple. "Let's go, Tatiana. Now."

Tears streaming down my face,I look at him, unmoving. "Filip? What…? I—I don't understand."

"Your father isn't the highest bidder anymore." Filip grabs my arm and shoves me down the steps. My three-inch heel catches on the top step and I go tumbling down, scraping my elbows and palms bloody. I lose both shoes in the process, as well as my purse. Filip grabs my phone, flings it into the vacant lot, and then hauls me to my feet, shoving me toward his car.

He yanks open the rear door. "Get in."

I climb in, looking back at Ana and Katya, face down on the sidewalk, their blood mingling with Georg's.

Filip's dark eyes find mine in the rearview mirror. "No funny shit, Tatiana. The money is for you alive, but it doesn't say anything about hurt. Get me, Princess?"

I nod, fighting to stuff my emotions down so I can find a way out of this. I'm barefoot, without my phone and gun, and now I have no clue who to trust. I thought Filip was loyal. Clearly, so did my father.

We take a long, circuitous route out of the city to the airport; a guard opens a gate and lets us through to a restricted section, where the private jets are hangared. We pull into one of the smaller hangars, passing beneath the hulking, shadowy shapes of small jets and private prop planes. The Rover’s headlights flic on automatically in the gloom, illuminating a small folding table at which is a man wearing glasses tapping at a laptop. Beside the table, a man is handcuffed to a chair; his head is hanging, so I can’t make out his face, but his hair is long and black, and I see a hint of a long beard.

"What's going on, Filip?" I ask. "Who are they?"

Filip twists in the seat. "Shut up. No questions, no talking."

"This isn't worth it, Filip. You know what Tata does to people who mess with me."

His face contorts into a rage-filled rictus. "Oh yes, I know. His precious princess. Well,Tati,” he sneers my father's nickname for me, "what my new benefactor is paying medoesmake it worth it."

"Filip, please. This won't end well."

He grins, an ugly sneer. How did I miss the evil in him all this time? "Shutup, Tatiana. Remember what I said. The money is for you, alive. Which means I can do whatever I want to you as long as you're still breathing when I turn you over.”