Page 51 of Maxim

“No. Absolutely not. Don’t even think like that.”

“It’s true, though. I ran away straight to him. It made him question you.” She looks down at our joined hands.

I squeeze hers. “Don’t think about it like that. If anything, you helped me. I wouldn’t have gone hard on you, but you made me because you wanted to save your siblings. You gave me more credibility.”

“Really?” she asks.

I nod. “Yes.”

“Okay. So what’s the plan from here then? How do we get Daryna and Alek out?” she asks.

Truth is, I don’t know yet. I don’t have a plan. I won’t tell her that, though. She needs the hope.

“Your father is supposed to call me with an answer about my proposal. If all goes well, I will have an inside connection into their business dealings. I can filter that information back to my family for them to strategize the best way to rescue all the people being auctioned off, take down your father, and bring Daryna and Alek home to you.”

“You really think your family will do that?” she asks.

“I know they will.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s important to me. I’ve made you and your siblings my priority. Before this is all done, you will all be free.”

“That sounds like such a fantasy,” she says wistfully.

“I’ll make it your reality.”

She gives me a small smile. “You really are like Damon.”

I frown. “What?”

“Nothing. How can I help?” she asks.

“Anything you can remember would be helpful.”

“I don’t know much. My father kept me away, but I will tell you what I do know.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“Father would bring one man to the house a lot. He has dark hair. I think he is important.”

I remember the man she is speaking of. He was in the office with us after I bought Olena.

“That’s good. Did you ever hear his name?”

She shakes her head. “No. Szymon is my father’s second-in-command. He is dangerous. He always paid too much attention to me, and my father doesn’t trust him completely. I’ve heard him say before that Szymon is like a lapdog to him.”

That’s good to know. He isn’t in on everything then. He’s the errand boy with a badge.

“Anything else?”

She sits thinking for a moment.

“At the auction. My father is the one who did the final walk-through. I remember him looking over all the people and agreeing to the ones he was sending up,” she tells me.

That’s interesting because her father always seems to be everywhere. Is he the head of the snake, or is it his partner?

“Hey, I’m so proud of you. Thank you for that. If you think of anything else, let me know.”