“Son of a bitch!” he roars, his fists clenching and unclenching as he fights the urge to destroy the room in his rage. “That motherfucking asshole.”
Kirill is playing a long game. Building an army for his war, but he is ill prepared. If the information we have gathered is accurate, it means that Kirill is slipping. Or it is all a ruse, and we are walking into a trap.
“What are you doing?”
A feminine voice crackles through the speakers of the tablet.
Ava.
Closing my eyes, I let the familiar sound of her voice wash over me. Fuck, I miss her. Mark stutters something, his back keeping us from her view.
“We’re heading to Portland,” her soft voice is like a drug to me. “Can you gather some information for me? Sully O’Malley wants a sit down and I need some dirt to take with me.”
“Yeah,” Mark tells her anxiously. “I can do that. Just give me half an hour, I’m finishing up with a few things.”
“What are you doing?”
“Uh, nothing,” Mark panics as he tries to keep Ava from viewing our video feed. Growling, Dima shoves Ivan out of the way of the camera and sits down, food in hand. “Look it’s…”
“Privet, Dima,” Ava’s face pops into view. I stand just off camera so that her view of me is blocked, but I can see everything. “Kak dela?”
Fuck why is her asking how Dima is doing in Russian such a turn on.
Ivan stares at me, his gaze wandering to the tent in my jeans and raises his brows.
“Really?” he mouths. I narrow my eyes at him and quietly readjust myself.
“Fuck off.” I mouth back. He snorts.
“Who’s there with you?” Ava asks curiously, peering closer to the screen as if she thinks it will make her see further into the room.
“No one,” Dima waves a hand at her. “Television.”
Ava scrunches her nose. “You don’t like to watch television.”
She has him there, but Dima just shrugs it off.
“Thought I’d try it while I am here.”
“Well,” Ava sighs despondently. “Alright then. When are you coming home?”
Home.
“Soon,” Dima promises. “I’ll be coming soon,Pakhan.”
Ava smiles at him through the screen.
“Okay then,” she lets out a wistful sigh but otherwise leaves it alone. “Be safe, Dima.”
Dima nods his head at her and gives her a small smile. Then she is gone.
“That was close,” Mark mutters underneath his breath a few moments after the door clicks shut behind him.
“Too close,” I growl.
Ivan chuckles. “That is what you get for not including her in the plan.”
Fuck him.
