Nothing that had happened today made sense, and I was questioning everything that had happened to us in the past, but my body didn’t care. My body still trusted him. I felt instantly relaxed and safe in his presence, and I was swimming in an overwhelming sense of relief.
And my stupid heart felt the same happy joy that it did whenever we were together. That hadn’t changed, even though, when I looked over at him, I wondered if I knew this man at all.
“Why don’t you try and get some sleep?” he looked over at me.
“I could never sleep,” I told him, even as I felt the heavy tug of exhaustion on my eyelids. “I can help keep you awake.”
“I’m not tired, but you look like you need to crash for a bit.”
I had too many questions, but my body was refusing to stay awake.
“You’re safe, Mila,” he said softly.
I hadn’t felt safe since they had broken into the house and started arresting everyone.
I looked over at Axel, with his bleeding face and cut knuckles. He was driving a strange car on an unknown highway. And I had no idea where we were going.
But I knew I was safe.
Another wave of fatigue crashed over me, and I didn’t know how to fight it. “Okay.”
When I woke up,we were sitting in front of the departure area of some airport. I wasn’t sure which one. Axel sat in the driver’s seat, studying me.
“Where are we?” My voice sounded like rust.
“SeaTac airport.”
“Seattle?” I sat up a little straighter, feeling stiff and cold. “What time is it?”
“Just after four in the morning.”
I looked at him closer. He’d cleaned up and changed clothes. “Are we going home?”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a long envelope. “Inside is your passport, some money and a ticket.”
I didn’t understand what he was telling me. “Where are we going?”
“I’ve bought you a flight to Vancouver that leaves in just over three hours.”
“You’re coming too, right?” I confirmed.
His expression was neutral, but he avoided my gaze. “Viktor is the one who has Bandit. He’ll be waiting for you at the airport when you arrive.”
“What about you?” I could hear the panic in my voice.
“Mila,” he soothed, “listen to me. You’re going to have to do this alone.”
Suddenly I didn’t care that he was a cop or that he had lied to me about our entire marriage. I didn’t care that I didn’t knowif he loved me. Now, in this moment, when I realized he was sending me on my way, he was just Axel.
The man I loved.
And I didn’t want to go without him.
I shook my head slowly, trying not to panic. “No. I don’t want to go without you. Why can’t I travel with you?”
“It’s safer this way.”
Helpless, I stared at him, trying to determine if he was trying to get rid of me, or if he actually thought this plan was safer. But I saw the regret in his gaze, and I immediately guessed why. “You’re leaving. You’re going back to Russia.”
