The man who stood in front of me was another one of them. Already, I was becoming too familiar, recognizing them easily.
Tensing up, I frowned at him.
“It’s okay.”
I couldn’t help but huff out a laugh.
Nothing was okay anymore. Not with my willingness to look the other way when they showed up. Not with how much his boss captivated me and still had me wondering what it’d be like if he’d kissed me that afternoon.
“Nothing will happen to you,” he said. “My uncle has made sure of it.”
I raised my brows, connecting the dots quickly.
Mikhail had looked into me. He’d been thinking about me. My God, he might have even started viewing me and my position here as a doctor as his personal advantage. Like I was a tool to use and count on.
Shaking my head, I tried not to panic.
“He’s sworn that nothing will happen to you. Your job will be safe. You’ll be safe from helping us.”
“Fuck,” I whispered, still shaking my head. “I’m not yours—his. I’m not some resource your organization can use.”
Dodging him, I walked quickly away. I’d be damned if I ran. That would be too telling of my fear. But I couldn’t stomach this, this realization that I wasn’t as pure and good as I wanted to think I could be.
A glance at my watch proved that my shift was done, though. Icouldescape now, even if it was just for the night. Hurrying through the end of my shift and logging out of all the programs and charts I still had open, I focused on getting home to the apartment that didn’t feel like a home.
Just as long as I wasn’t here. As long as I could hide from the fact that I’d lied on the clock, hiding that I’d helped those criminals off the record.
I’m going to hell.
Before I grabbed my keys and jacket from my locker, I paused at the ping of an email on my phone. Worrying that work was trying to come home with me, I walked out of the staff area in a daze. Head down, gaze glued to the screen, I read through my personal email.
“Oh, thank God.” I exhaled in relief as I exited. “Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Relieved and lighter, I almost smiled at the email message that explained my sabbatical details had been finalized. I could really escape now. I could go off on that mission and really be far from the Orlovs or any other organized crime member in this rough city.
I wouldn’t be around to deal with Mikhail. I wouldn’t be near any chances of running into him again or risking an encounter with any of his men who’d remind me of him.
I’d be far from here and?—
My body fell back as someone slammed their hands against my shoulders. Whipping my head up and gasping in alarm, I smacked into the wall of the hospital’s parking garage. Dim lights blurred in the background. The distant drone of the city and cars fell to the wayside as I scrambled not to trip with the spike of adrenaline flooding my system.
“Where is he? Where is the Orlov?” a rough-looking man demanded. He gripped me instantly, locking his strong fingers on my neck as he shoved me against the wall and lifted me.
Choking at the cutoff of oxygen, I clawed at his hands. I kicked my legs and tried to buck to loosen his lethal grip on my throat. Panic swept over me as I frantically tried to keep up. I was just walking along, exiting the hospital and minding my own business. I was lost in my thoughts of getting out of this grimy, dangerous city. Then in the next flash of time, I was captured and unable to breathe!
It happened so fast. He came out of nowhere, sneaking up on me from the shadows. His menacing scowl invited tears to spring to my eyes. The stink of him—sweat and cologne and smoke—nauseated me as I strained not to pass out.
“Where is that fucker, Sergei Orlov? What room is he in, bitch?” He didn’t wait, ramping up the terror by lifting a gun and pressing the end of the barrel to my temple.
What?
What are you?—
What the fuck?
Why—
I couldn’t think past the horror that lanced through my entire body. It encompassed me, numbing me from reacting. Even if I knew what to say, I physically couldn’t speak. His fingers squeezed on my neck, but it was the cold press of the metal at my head that had me gasping louder.
