“And then we hopefully get a picture of our guns and a pile of dead idiots,” I answer.
She nods and takes a breath as if coming to terms with that reality. “What will Gavriil do to you if you don’t find the guns and money on his deadline?”
I don’t bother lying to her. “There are consequences for everyone who fails thePakhan, even his own brother.”
“And me?”
I meet her gaze and let her see it. “I won’t let him take you,” I say. “That’s why I have to succeed.”
“You can’t work miracles, Dom,” she says softly, not challenging, just laying a fact on the table between us.
“No, but I can make plans. Ones that keep you safe, regardless of what happens to me.”
Her throat works. Then she does something I don’t expect. She reaches out, picks up my shirt, and holds it up for me to put my arms through the sleeves. Alina’s fingers move down the row of buttons, redressing me. Her fingers ghost down my chest, light as breath, and every instinct I have strains toward her.
When she’s finished, she places her palm on my chest, as if she’s not ready to pull away from me just yet, and asks, “Can I sit in here with you until it’s over?”
“Yes.”
I keep her hand in mine a moment longer than I should. Letting go feels like walking away from cover.
19
Dominik
My hand is still coveringAlina’s when my phone buzzes minutes later.
I don’t move. I let her hand stay there for one heartbeat more than necessary. “Answer it,” she whispers.
I pick up the phone in my free hand. “Yes?”
“Positions are set,” Petrov says calmy. “Two bikes are out front, one rider sleeping, one smoking. Sedan across the street exactly as described. Renat’s on the north corner. He counts two rifles in a high window, not one. Sergei has eyes on the bay where a van’s backed in. We’ll text that door code when we have to.”
“Any neighbors?” I ask.
“Yes, but we’ll keep them inside if we move.”
“Don’t move until I say,” I remind him.
“Copy,” Petrov replies. “Also, the drunk in the sedan is not drunk. He’s reading a magazine upside down.”
“Take him out first if we move. I don’t want him getting away or calling for backup we can’t hear.”
“Understood.”
“We do not let any of our men die in Jersey tonight,” I warn him.
“Yes, boss,” Petrov says in agreement.
I end the call and glance at Alina. She’s watching my mouth like she’s memorizing every word that comes out of it.
“Now we wait?” she guesses.
“Now we wait.”
I stand, slowly, and my body reminds me why again. I move anyway. At the bar, I pour a glass of vodka and drain half of it before setting it down.
When I return to the desk, Alina steps into my space and fixes my collar because apparently, we both prefer to be as close to each other as possible. She does it so naturally, like she’s done it a thousand times. Like she plans to keep doing it. “What can I do?” she asks.
