* * *
It’s been days since I’ve seen Vitaly, and every night I’m filled with dreams of him along with nightmares of my past. My nerves are raw and I’m on edge. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I pull it out and stiffen when I read the name scrolling across the screen. I look around to make sure nothing is out of order and step out into the hall after confirming Posy will be okay in her art class.
“Da.”
“Anatonia?”
“Da.” I know he’s no longer with the government, but it still causes me to question him calling me.
“It’s Dimitri.”
“Da.”
“Igor Medvedev has entered the country.” The name hits me so hard I step back. Visions of him over my body attempting to rape me come back to me. “Did you hear me?”
“How and when?”
“He flew in under a false name. I lost him after he left the airport. Chatter is he’s after Natale for revenge. He’s going to go after his girl.”
“Thank you.” He hangs up and I peek back through the window to see that Posy is still working.
I make my way to Natale’s class and pull him out of it. I tell him about the call from Dimitri Petrov and what his intent is. But before I can explain more, the fire alarm blares.
“Find her,” Natale barks at me, and I take off for the art room. I can’t fail her with a sick man like Igor after her. Natale killed Igor’s brother, Ivan, for orchestrating the attack on the Morello family that left him injured all those years ago. I never told the family about my connection to Ivan and Igor. I wanted to kill Ivan for raping my mama, but Natale beat me to it. Ivan was my uncle’s second-in-command. Igor isn’t though. He never lived up to his brother’s potential. He is here to get revenge and probably move himself up in the ranks.
We are moving through the crowd of students trying to make their way out of the building.
“I’ve got her,” Natale yells. We push through the back doors and head for the field where Posy texted she’s waiting. We arrive to see her being dragged into a large SUV by a couple of men.
I’ve planned for every scenario and I have a tracking chip in her phone. I stop and open the app to track her when Natale almost runs me over trying to get to his car. I jump in the passenger seat as he takes off after the SUV.
“Her phone has a tracker,” I say, but he’s focused on finding the car he just lost in traffic. “Did you hear me?” He turns to look at me. Torment fills his gaze before he nods and slows down slightly. “Go to the house.” I order him because we need to prepare. I can’t carry all my guns and equipment in a school, and I need them for what we are going to face.
“What?” he barks at me like I’m crazy. I need to calm him so he can think. I don’t only protect her, I need to ensure his safety too.
“We need to be prepared.” I explain. “They’ll have weapons. It’ll be an ambush.” I’m so disgusted with myself. How could I leave her like that? I thought it was important to let Natale know about Dimitri’s call. I should have waited until the class was over. If I had been with her, they wouldn’t have gotten her. She wouldn’t be possibly living the nightmare I endured.
“Your uncle did this, didn’t he?” he asks, and I can’t answer because it’s true. He would have sent a backup to Vitaly. I never warned the family of Vitaly coming after me. I did this and it’s time I end it.
I’m done.
I’m tired of wondering when Konstantin will get tired of me defying him.
“We will kill Igor, and I will return to Russia and finish this once and for all.” He doesn’t protest my words. He knows it is the only option. My uncle created me to kill the Morellos, but I’m going to use everything I learned to kill him.
We pull into the mansion and Capo, Maria, and Domino are all waiting for us. I tell them what happened while Natale heads for the armory in the basement. I head to my room where my stuff is. I completely gear up with my thigh holster, my double rig, and several knives. I will end Igor. I should have killed him the last time, but I didn’t.
“Little bitch, I want what you gave my brother.” Igor spits in my face. His saliva rolls down my cheek. He has my hands restrained in one of his above my head. I buck against him, not willing to let him take from me. I’m tired of men taking my body against my wishes. I’m trained now. I’ve been working for the KGB for almost two years. My uncle made me start working for his Sovietnik, Maxim, when I was sixteen, after I finished with my schooling. Sovietnik is the government support my uncle has to protect him from prosecution.
“No, Igor.” I push against him. “I’m an adult now. I said no.” I bring my knee up and nail him in his manhood.
“You little bitch,” he cries out as he falls back. He comes at me again and I pull the knife I keep at my back and swing out. The blade slides through his skin and blood spurts across my face. He screams again, holding his face. His cries will bring other soldiers. I don’t want to be beaten again. I turn and run.
I never looked back. The memory causes me to reach out. I grab the edge of the dresser. I must protect Posy from him. I race down the stairs and jump into my Land Rover. Natale and Domino join me.
“They’re at the hotel on Everly Crescent. Leading out to the airport,” I say as I floor it through the gate and away from the mansion.
We pull up to the cheap motel and see the SUV that took Posy. Natale is out of the car before I come to a complete stop.