Aria…
Earlier that day…
I miss Lachlan.
How did it go from wanting to murder the man who forced me to marry him - quite literally at gunpoint - to enduring the ache in my chest every time he was away from me?
Now he’s going after the most vicious. wildly unstable human I’d ever been unfortunate enough to meet. Petrov is a madman. And not just in the usual criminal enterprise sociopathic way. The Pakhan of the Petrov Bratva casually sacrifices his own men for no logical reason. He destroys alliances on a whim, he doesn’t care about the havoc he wreaks because it is “fun.”
Petrov wants to watch the world burn. And not theoretically. If he could get his hands on a nuclear warhead, I have no doubt he would set it off.
Lachlan was determined to finish him, but when he left alone, refusing to take Gregor with him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.
Looking around my office and the sunshine streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I suddenly wanted to be out there. I need the warmth of the sun and the normalcy of Halifax Harbor. Maybe it would shake this feeling of doom itching at the back of my spine.
“Jamie, I’m going to head out for an early lunch.”
My assistant looked up with a smile. “Well, this is a nice surprise. You’re allowing yourself a lunch that isn’t a sandwich nibbled at your desk while you answer another two hundred emails.”
“You know, some people find your insouciance charming,” I say, “but-”
“It’s not, I know,” she grins at me. “Yet, I’m still here.”
Narrowing my eyes at her, I try to think of something cutting to say. Giving up, because her cheeky little grin really is cute, I ask, “Do you want a crab cake lunch from Tony’s food truck?”
“Yes, please.”
Gregor steps in just behind me as I leave the office.
“Nice,” I said, “is there a college in Scotland that teaches low-key stalker techniques?”
“I have a natural talent.”
“I see that,” I laugh.
He helps me into the BMW. “Where to?”
“Let’s stop by the house first. I’ll pick up Elana and take her to lunch.” Things are still strained between us and maybe some time spent wandering along the harbor will give us room to talk again.
When I arrive home, my sister is gone.
“Miss Elana isn’t here,” Jerome says apologetically. Our house manager - because I will never call him a butler - looks genuinely unhappy that he can’t produce my sister with a snap of his fingers. “She seemed to leave in somewhat of a hurry.” Heexamines his perfectly smooth fingernails. “I did notice that she left a note for you in your home office.”
That feeling of peril is back, edging up my spine like a steel blade. My steps pick up as I hurry down the hall, my heels echoing on the granite tile. There’s an envelope on my desk and for a moment, I stare at it, my throat tight.
Don’t open it its bad news don’t open it…
I’m the one who handles the hard things in this family, so I open it.
Dear Aria,
I know Juan isn’t going to give up.
You and Zed have been doing everything to keep the family safe. It’s my turn now. I’m sorry I was selfish.
Love you, E.
The note flutters back to the surface of my desk as I seize my laptop. There are trackers embedded in her phone and a pendant my mother gave her.
