Thankfully, I found my way across the hallway. Some of the guards stood in the elevator area. One of them lit his cigarette, and they all entered the elevator to patrol the top floor. I walked down the stairs. My back was towards the wall while I heard footsteps walk close by. The light in the living room was off, and I knew I could find my way out through the exit, so Iducked down low and leaped outside before I bumped into what felt like fabric on a hard surface.
I raised my head up and realized that the hard surface was Yuri in his black suit. I sighed, frustrated that my plan of escape was thwarted.
“What's wrong, ma’am?” He asked. “Why are you all dressed up in black?”
“Nothing is wrong, Yuri. I'm only heading out.”
“Heading out? It's midnight.” I sighed, rolled my eyes to the side, and looked at his hopeless act of care all in the name of doing his job.
“Tell me where you're going. I'll take you.”
“Actually, it's none of your business that I'm going out. You're supposed to guard Mikhail, not me.”
“Mikhail is never alone, Isabella. You know that. He's got safety, and I'm here to protect you. Just tell me where you're going, and I'll drive you there.”
My jaw tightened, and I squeezed my fist until I felt my nails dig into my palm. I had to come clean. I'd spent all day thinking about how I'd go to meet Marco, and I wasn't going to let Yuri stop me. Besides, I'm not a puppet or a child that needed to be babysat. I can do whatever I want, and that's what I planned to do.
I inhaled the fresh air with my eyes closed. When I opened them, Yuri's gaze conveyed the need for a definite answer, and I was going to give it to him.
“I’m going to see Marco, Yuri. And I don't want you to stand in the way of my plan.”
“What plan is that?” I had run out of patience, but it seemed as though Yuri had time.
“I want to talk with Marco and settle things. I believe that not everything has to do with violence. If I can come to terms with him, there won't be any need to shed blood and put everyone at risk. I'm capable of handling whatever needs to be done to Marco, and there's no one better to avenge the death of my brother than me. So please let me go, Yuri. I'm not a child. I can handle myself.”
Yuri looked at me for a while and said, “Sure. I know you're not a child. I only wanted to know where you're going.”
“You're not going to stop me?”
“No. But I'll let you go on one condition.” My mind went through the possible conditions, but I came up short. I didn't have much time to spare.
“I'll let you go if you let some of our soldiers keep you covered. I trust that you know how to protect yourself, but you can never be sure who's watching.”
I didn't give it much thought before I agreed to his proposal.
“Great,” he said, and I couldn't tell if he was happy or not. His tone was plain and mysterious. “I'll give the order, and you'll know you're not alone at their signal.”
“Thanks, Yuri.”
“No, it's fine. You can go.” I turned to walk away when his voice made me halt.
“Before it slips off my mind, know that Marco is staying at Caruso's safe house. Don't make a foolish move by walking through the front door.”
I laughed.
“Come on, Yuri, it's just an Italian safe house. Trust me, I've sneaked into lots of places more complicated than that.”
“Sure, ma'am, just take care.” He said right before I walked away.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mikhail’s POV
I had dreamt about the carnage of the Italian attack. Dead bodies lay on the floor, and the building was covered in gore. The atmosphere was thick with smoke, and I was happy. I thought I had won the fight. Then I saw Isabella in Caruso's arms. She looked terrified, frightened, and pitiful. Her brown eyes reflected in my mind, and I watched her cry in Caruso’s embrace.She told me that she was sorry, and she never meant for this to happen. My heart shredded into pieces. This was the ultimate defeat, and in a rage, I aimed my gun at Caruso's head. That was when I heard the car door slam loudly. Its engine revved, and I heard a pop from the exhaust.
It was the shouts from the soldiers that patrolled the mansion that woke me up from the terrible nightmare. I sat up to a reporter on the screen in front of me. Someone gave marching orders outside, and I stretched my arms wide and yawned. I heard the subtle hum of one of the maids who walked by.
My eyes were glazed, the sun hid in the sky, and all I saw were white clouds that gently passed by. I tried not to worry about the dream. Yet, when I turned to kiss Isabella, she wasn't there. The sheets were deflated, and it made my heart jump. I looked around and observed that her coat was gone. I got out of bed and opened the drawer where she kept some of her jewelry, and I didn't see the gun I gave her.
