Ef huffed. “This isn’t a prank, sis. I have to show Papa. Ihaveto. It can’t be a coincidence that it came in right after your concert tonight.”
He was right. It was better to take this seriously than to dismiss it and put myself in danger.
I sighed. “You’re right. But can we at least not let Mom know, yet? She’ll freak out.”
Efrem gave a slow nod. “Yeah, she’ll totally freak. I won’t tell Mom yet, but Papa needs to know so he and Pavel can make arrangements to keep you safe. I’ll let Papa tell Mom when he’s ready.” He hesitated, his gaze locking on mine. “Get some rest, okay? I’ll handle this.”
How could I possibly sleep now?
But I simply nodded, watching as Ef strode down the hallway with my phone.
My earlier elation and the sense of accomplishment I’d felt at braving my fears tonight and putting on a great performance fizzled away like a can of soda dumped down the drain.
Fear and uncertainty slipped in. How did I fight an unknown assailant? The past five months had been bad enough, my outings restricted to only necessary appointments. Now my family would likely never let me leave the estate until this person was found and dealt with.
But I wasn’t about to be locked up here indefinitely.No way.
And if they never found him?
I cringed.
I would never be free.
Forcing myself to get ready for bed, I rose from my chair and with the assistance of my walker that I kept near the bathroom door, I hobbled into the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face, and use the bathroom. Then I hobbled back into my bedroom, dressed in my pajamas, and slipped under the covers, my mind spinning as I contemplated what to do. I wanted the man caught and dealt with. But how could they do that when they didn’t even know what he looked like? What if he was right outside the gate, watching the house, waiting for me to appear?
A sudden knock at my door had my heart slamming into my ribs and my body jolting upright. I inhaled sharply, trying to get a grip.
“Come in!”
Papa opened the door and stepped into the room, his expression grim and his eyes filled with worry.
“Ef showed you the text?”
He sighed and sank onto the edge of the bed, taking my hand in his and gently patting it. “Yes. We are very concerned that it may be from the same man who attacked you in Chicago. I have discussed the matter with your grandfather, Pavel, and Efrem, and we believe the best thing to do is to sneak you away tonight, under the cover of darkness, where you will be less likely to be spotted.”
My heart spasmed. “Where am I going?”
Papa ran a hand over his face, then looked me in the eye. “We want you to be comfortable, honey. We thought about all the safe houses but didn’t think you’d be comfortable in any of them. So, in the end, we agreed that there is no place safer than the lake house, and it’s a place you are familiar with and enjoy being at. So, you’re going to Tahoe. Since Dominik moved in with Leah a few weeks ago, the house is vacant. Nora has been notified of your pending arrival. She will have the house prepared and the fridge and pantry stocked before you get there.”
Relief washed over me. I loved the lake house. Our family spent every summer there.
It was late December right now, the dead of winter in Lake Tahoe. The family rarely went to Tahoe during the winter. I would have to pack warm clothes instead of the summer outfits I wore year-round here in L.A.
Papa squeezed my hand and rose. “Go ahead and pack a bag. You’ll be leaving in about twenty minutes.”
That soon?
“Who’s…coming with me? Mom?”
Papa paused as he reached the door, turning back to me. “No. At the moment, no one knows about this except for your grandfather, Pavel, me, and your brother. We don’t want to alarm your mother just yet, or it will cause an unnecessary delay.” He sent me a reassuring smile. “You will be accompanied by armed guards, but we don’t want to make a big deal out of it, or it will draw attention. So, a single vehicle with two guards will escort you there. The guards will stay with you at the lake house and protect you twenty-four/seven while we stay here and go after this guy. Other guards will be posted covertly around the area to watch the place and keep an eye on things. We don’t want him to know you’ve left the property, which is why you’ll be leaving in the dark. We want him to think you’ve holed up here inside the house. We want him to make a move so we can catch him. I promise as soon as it is safe for you to return, you can come back to L.A.”
Getting out of L.A. actually appealed to me. And I was relieved Mom wouldn’t be going with me. She was a worrywart and would only drive me crazy.
“Which guards will be accompanying me?” I knew some of the guards, of course, but not all of them. And there were a few scary ones who gave me the willies that I steered clear of. I prayed my father sent men I knew and liked.
Papa cleared his throat. “Pavel has chosen two of his top men. Ivan and Oleg.”
I cringed, shaking my head. “No. Not Oleg. Please, Papa. He scares me.”