“Exactly how did Linus acquire that information?”
“I didn’t ask, but I’m guessing by hacking into yet more security footage from the time the man arrived at Heathrow Airport until now.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Did Linus hack those systems illegally?”
Declan huffed. “I didn’t ask, and you shouldn’t either. Fawn, most hacking, by definition, is illegal,” he added impatiently when she continued to frown. “It is also sometimes necessary. Even by the good guys. Which we are, incidentally,” he added dryly.
She opened her mouth to answer before abruptly closing it again, feeling totally at a loss for words. Well, any that made sense, anyway. Because she currently felt as if she had somehow entered the twilight zone of Russian mobsters and people getting shot.
“Are you okay?” Declan prompted after several moments of her remaining silent.
Was she? No, probably not, after hearing that they had been followed by a man who was probably only in London to avenge his brother’s death.
“Is this why you didn’t want me to go out for a run?” she prompted once the realization hit her.
He nodded. “We now know that Boris Koslov hired a car at the airport before driving into the city itself and booking into a seedy hotel that looks as if it rents rooms by the hour.” His top lip curled back. “A good choice, because no one checks on placeslike that. He wasn’t in his room much anyway. He spent the next two days watching the comings and goings at the hospital. Today, as Danny informed me earlier might be the case, Koslov followed us in that hired car when we drove to this apartment building. Since then, Linus has learned he booked out of the hotel, and, despite an extensive search, Linus hasn’t been able to pinpoint his current location.”
“But he’s going to continue looking?”
“Oh yes. Don’t worry, Linus will find him.”
“But why is this man Koslov following you in the first place?” Fawn crossed the room to sit next to him on the couch. “You were just the innocent victim.”
“Honestly?” Declan grimaced. “I’m guessing that honor needs to be satisfied, and Koslov probably considers me the easiest target to take out so that his bratva know he’s avenged the death of his brother.”
“What?” she gasped.
He shrugged. “If he attempted to get to Nikolai or any member of his family or the bratva, Koslov wouldn’t just be killed, he would die a very painful death as an example to others. Same goes for if he attacked any member of the Wynter family. I’m obviously neither of those things and so…expendable.”
“Not to me!” Fawn burst out before giving herself time to censor her words. Heat bloomed in her cheeks. “I mean…”
“Yes, what do you mean?” Declan prompted gruffly.
Nothing she was willing to share with him!
She gave an impatient shake of her head. “Could River be in any danger because the two of us are temporarily sharing an apartment?”
Uh-oh, she could see by the dark scowl on Declan’s brow and the thinning of his lips that he didn’t like her talking of her living arrangement with another man.
She mulled that response over for several seconds before making a decision. “I think I need to tell you a little more about my and River’s…relationship.”
Declan turned sothat his arm was now resting along the back of the couch behind Fawn, the leg nearest to her bent up and resting on the couch cushion next to her. He was focused totally on Fawn. “What about it?”
“First, I need to know if he could be in danger because of my being here with you,” she demanded.
Declan considered the idea before reaching the conclusion that yes, Fawn was now in danger because she was working with Declan, so this River guy could be in danger for the same reason.
The connection Fawn had to River was the stumbling block to the need Declan felt to kiss Fawn.
He’d been fighting this attraction to her for the last four days, since the first time he met Fawn. But that desire had become almost unbearable now that the two of them were living together in his apartment.
Declan was now totally aware, every hour, every damnminute, of the increasingly desperate ache he felt to hold and kiss Fawn. To make love to her. Even the cold shower he’d taken earlier had done nothing to dampen—excuse the pun—the desire he felt to make love to Fawn.
But, having once been a person who had suffered through the humiliation of being cheated on, Declan would never intrude on another person’s relationship. Even one he considered to be unhealthy.
He grimaced. “Because of your association with me, and if Koslov finds out where you actually live and who with, then yes, there is a possibility River could be in danger.”
Fawn stood up, her expression anxious. “Then we have to get him away from our apartment. Right now!”
