Page 82 of The Games of Madmen

They both edge closer, as if an invisible magnet is drawing them to it, and my heart pounds loudly in my chest, each beat echoing my rising anxiety. Rodion steps into my personal space, his eyes softening, they glimmer like fresh leaves doused in raindrops after a storm.

“Some people do,” he says softly, his voice a gentle murmur that sends a shiver down my spine. He reaches out, his fingers brushing lightly against my cheek, the touch so tender that it almost makes my knees buckle beneath me, leaving me breathless and longing for more. I lean into it and Roza reaches her arms out to him climbing from my arms to his.

“Viktor found him.” Z's strained voice slices through the tense atmosphere like a sharp-edged blade, his eyes dark with urgency.

“What?” Rodion and I ask simultaneously, my heart racing at the implications of his words.

Z holds up his phone, the screen showing a text from Viktor. With a look of pure malice that seems to chill the air around us, he says, “He found the uncle. We need to go, and we need to go now.”

They move into action, Rodion handing Roza back to me, his palm cradling her head as he drops a kiss to her cheek. “Stay with Mommy,solnyshko.”Sunshine.

Z retrieves a leather black duffle bag from a locked closet in the hallway, where he had the security company add a large safe.He glances at the bag with a determined look, and Rodion can’t help but break into a wide, excited grin.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment,” he exclaims, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Set the alarm behind us, Alyona, and make sure you don’t leave this house for any reason,” Z instructs firmly, leaving no room for argument.

But it’s me, so of course that’s what he will get.

“I want to come,” I interject, feeling the rush of adrenaline surge through my bloodstream. “I need to see this through. I want to come.”

Z meets my gaze, his expression serious, and both he and Rodion speak as one. “Someone needs to stay with Roza.”

Fuck, they’re right.

“Trust us to take care of this,” Rodion pleads, his voice strained and the lines on his forehead deepening as he looks into my eyes with a mixture of urgency and sincerity.

I do trust them. I trust them more than anyone else in this world. A flutter of anxiety stirs in my stomach as if it prepares to erupt at any moment.

“Okay,” I reply finally, nodding slowly. “Please be careful.”

“Let’s go,” Z commands.

And then they’re gone.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Zahkar

We pulled all our resources into finding out who this piece of shit is. And, yes, that includes enlisting our father, who was infuriated with Yuri’s brass balls for sending someone to spy on us. Things back home are already on rocky ground, and Yuri is losing friends quicker than he did children.

We plan to deal with him when the time presents itself.

According to our father, the nun girl was the daughter of Yuri’s most deadly henchman, Alexey Maiburov. From what information is out there, he went AWOL a couple of years ago, and his brother Sergei took his place as Yuri’s top dog. Sergei’s niece, Alexey’s daughter, was brought into the fold.

“We should have changed into something a bit more breathable,” Rodion complains, loosening his collar.

“Viktor said to come straight away.” I take the next turn on the GPS, almost bouncing out of my seat with eagerness. I want to end this motherfuckerpainfully.

“A storage unit?” Rodion questions, tilting his head toward the large sign emblazoned withSECURE STASH,as our GPS announces the arrival at our destination. “Look there.” He gestures toward Viktor, who leans casually against a weathered blue shipping container, his impeccable suit contrasting abruptly with the industrial surroundings.

We pull the car up and step out, taking a moment to absorb the scene before us.

The area is filled with row upon row of freight containers, painted in various colors. There’s no one else around, but there are mechanical noises in the distance of containers being moved. The air carries a faint scent of metal and rust mixed with a hint of diesel. Nestled next to the blue container is the white van that had been outside Alyona’s.

“I’ve had the manager disable the video surveillance for the next hour,” Viktor announces, looking over at us while running a hand through his hair. “Shall we?”

“How did you find him?” I ask, watching him unlock the unit.