“About?”
She holds her breath for a second and then deflates. “Zoya.”
The plan.
I didn’t forget. I just got lost in my head.
Disappointment does that to a man. “I’ll have Stepan make us a fresh pot of tea.” I stand and walk toward the kitchen. “Lavender?”
She drifts into the den. “Yes, please.”
When I walk into the kitchen, Stepan peeks over the newspaper in his hands. I point to the empty teapot on the counter and tell him what Liya wants. He nods and wordlessly gets up.
In the den, Liya takes my spot on the chaise lounge. Her eyes reflect the starry lights of the buildings. “It’s nice this time of year.”
“I agree.”
Her focus remains on the view. “Willow and I used to sneak out and wander the boardwalk.”
I sit quietly on the couch closest to the kitchen. “I did the same with my sister.”
She turns around. “Really?Yousnuck out?”
“Karina never liked being weighed down with responsibility.”
“I figured the responsibility fell on your shoulders.”
I nod. “Mostly.”
“So, she’s never been involved with the Bratva?”
Only once.“Never.”
Liya looks away for a moment. “She’s lucky.”
“That depends on what you consider to be lucky.”
Before she can say anything, Stepan carries a tray into the room and sets it on the coffee table. I nod thankfully and start preparing two cups. Liya sits on the couch across from me and waits patiently for me to hand her a cup.
After she takes a sip, she stares at the liquid. “I don’t know what’s lucky anymore.”
It hurts to see her this way. It hurts to know I’m the cause.
But there’s not much else I can do other than offer her support.
I lift my teacup.Putting together a plan could put her in better spirits.
As I gaze through the wisps of steam at my wife, I see the ghost of her old personality surface. She smiles wistfully, staring into the cup as if it holds all the answers.
I wish it did. I clear my throat. “What do we know so far?”
“Zoya is being forced to marry Cardona.”
“Which means we know where she’ll be next.”
She nods. “I’m sure we can find the specific location soon enough.”
“How would we do that?”