But this is the route she chose, so it’s the one we’ll take. I have to trust her. I have to trust that she knows what she’s doing. It makes me laser focused on every step of our plan. The need to execute this perfectly overwhelms me. Because one misstep, and she’s the one who pays.
I looped my brothers in first. What Viktor’s doing is so horrific that Roman didn’t even gloat about being right. We never imagined he would go this far, do something so despicable. Even Matthias is stepping in to help.
We have a plan. We know what comes next. But the wait is killing me. My patience has disintegrated. The man who could sit in silence for hours, plot things months in advance, can’t wait a few days to takedown the enemy.
The tail I have on Katerina has been updating me religiously. A moment hasn’t gone by that she hasn’t had trained professionals guarding her. I may have let her go, but she’ll never be out of my sight. She’ll never be left unprotected.
When I check my text from Mark, the man currently following her, I hiss out a curse. What the fuck in my dad doing with my wife? Why didn’t he tell me he was meeting with her?
I pull out my phone and dial his number. When it goes to voicemail, I dial again. On the first ring of the third call, he picks up.
“You need to learn patience, my boy,” he says through a chuckle, but I don’t find anything about this funny. “Why do you call?”
“You know damn well why I’m calling,” I hiss out.
“Ah, yes. The lovely Katerina. You want to know why we met and what we discussed.” His knowing tone irritates me. I’ve always respected my father, always saw him as a strong leader and mentor, but right now, I want to throttle him.
“Well?” I demand.
“That’s between her and me,” he vows.
I pull at my dark strands so hard my head stings.
“Absolutely not. Tell me now!” I demand.
“No. She has entrusted me with her secrets, and I won’t betray her.” He doesn’t understand.
“She ran away! She’s planning on putting herself in danger!”
“I’m aware.” What? He knows, and he still won’t tell me?
“Then you understand why I need to know,” I push. This isn’t up for debate. I must know.
“I understand why youwantto know. However, I will not break her trust.” The finality in his voice makes my blood boil. Because I get my stubbornness from him, I know it’s a lost cause. He won’t tell me if he’s made up his mind. But I’m not going to give up.
“SHE’S MY WIFE!”
“She’s my daughter,” he counters.
“Agh! Goddamnit, Dad! You need to tell me what you told her. What she told you. I have to know how to protect her.” I’m close to begging, but I don’t care. My only objective is protecting my wife.
“I told her you had someone tailing her,” he offers as if that helps at all.
“WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?”
“It’s funny to see my carefully curated, stoic son become so enraged over his wife,” he muses.
“Of course I’m enraged! My own father won’t help me protect my wife. Do you want her to die?” He doesn’t understand the situation. He doesn’t realize what’s at risk. My whole world is in danger. And if he knows something that can protect her, he has to tell me.
“Don’t be dense. Of course I don’t. But this is a fight she has to do on her own. I told her to give you notice before she madeher move so you could be there to protect her. I only gave her the knife once she agreed.”
“KNIFE?” My wife is going into the enemy’s lair with only a knife to protect her?
“You know, she really is the perfect match for you. She’s strong and intelligent. Fierce and bold. She’ll do well at your side.”
“You think I don’t know this? She’s the perfect woman for me! Which is why you should have told her to come home to me where it’s safe,” I growl.
“She wouldn’t have listened.” Obviously, she wouldn’t have. But I wouldn’t have taken no as an answer.
