“Willow,” he says. “Liya sends her love.”
I blink. “Pavel? What are you doing here?”This has to be a dream. Has to be.
He shushes me and beckons me forward. “There’s not much time. We have to leave now.”
“I never saw you as a knight in shining armor.”
He doesn’t laugh. He doesn’t roll his eyes. He simply sheds his blazer and drapes it over my shoulders. “Where’s your outfit?”
I nod back toward the window. “Out there.”
“Stay here. Don’t touch anything.”
Wouldn’t dream of it. This place feels grimier than one of those glory holes in the red-light district.
Pavel rummages through a closet and finds a gown. It’s a little big, but it covers all the important parts. I slip it on and drape the blazer over my shoulders.
When he produces his gun, he checks the chamber and then cocks it. He extends his hand to me. “Follow my lead.”
“We’re just going to walk out of here. That’s your plan?”
“It works if you don’t talk.”
I snap my mouth shut. He’s right. I have to act like I’m scared and helpless if this is going to work. Any suspicion would get us both killed.
And when Liya dies, I don’t want her kicking my ass all over the spiritual plane for getting her husband killed while he rescued me.
I take a deep breath and nod. “All right, I’m ready.”
He opens the door. The hallway is brightly lit, decorated like a gorgeous estate owned by a billionaire. Rose-gold wallpaper leads us past antique tables containing fresh roses. Soft classical music plays nearby. Low murmurs drift through open doors. There’s the sound of crying every so often—I can only imagine what that’s about.
We’re about to drift past a lobby when we’re approached by a tall man wearing an elaborate tuxedo. “Pavel Suvorov, what a surprise! You’re not one to show up to these shindigs. Bored with your wife already?”
Pavel remains calm and expressionless. “Of course, Bernard.”
Another man steps forward. “How will Don Cardona feel about you grabbing one of his gifts? Aren’t you two fighting right now?”
A third man steps forward and chuckles darkly. “I suppose we could call him and find out.”
Without warning, Pavel pulls out his gun and shoots the man. The other two stumble back as shouts erupt behind us. A security guard lunges toward us, but Pavel shoots him too. Gunfire explodes as I’m yanked into the adjacent hallway. Three more men appear at the end of the hallway with guns.
I’m shoved to the ground. Bullets snap overhead, and the walls explode in clouds of plaster, dust fluttering to the ground like snow. I can’t cry. I can’t even scream. I’m just frozen. Within a few short minutes, the gunfire halts, and I’m yanked to my feet.
The rest happens in a blur as Pavel pulls me after him. My heels threaten to snap beneath my feet, but I race after Pavel, barely breaking a sweat as we lunge toward an unmarked door. He shoves it open, revealing the cool night air. I gasp when a car screeches to a halt near the curb. Before I know it, I’m shoved into the back, and Pavel hops in behind me.
Tires screech. Burnt rubber greets my nose. My back flattens to the seat when the car lurches forward, the engine roaring as whoever is driving slams the gas pedal. With my heart thudding in my chest and my head spinning, I grasp for the handle of the door.
Pavel huffs for air next to me. But he doesn’t sound scared at all. He just sounds like he’s done an extensive workout.
He’s probably not even sweating.
My vision swims as the events of the past twelve hours swirl through my mind. I’m feeling sick again. I cover my mouth while Pavel touches my shoulder.
I flinch. “Where are we going?”
He looks guilty for a second. “Somewhere safe,” he says. “Liya will be glad to see you.”
Chapter Six