IVAN
Iopened my eyes when a ray of sunlight hit my face. We hadn’t drawn the curtains yesterday, and if I was being honest, after watching Shorty’s reflection when she came apart, I never would again. Or maybe I should put up some mirrors, so I could watch her from multiple angles next time.
The storm had passed during the night and left behind a calm that seemed almost surreal after the past forty-eight hours of chaos.
The calm after the storm? Or just a short respite before the next storm hit?
I lay still, acutely aware of Shorty’s weight against my chest, her body curled into mine as if she needed to feel close even in sleep.
Needed me as much as I needed her.
Her breathing was steady and deep, each exhale warm against my skin. The scent of her hair—salty, withundertones of vanilla and something uniquely her—filled my senses with every breath I took.
After we’d gotten the message yesterday that Cristo and Cara had taken the jet back to Italy despite the storm to get Cara the medical attention Cristo demanded she get—despite Cara’s protests—she had pressed herself against me, tucked her head beneath my chin, wrapped my arm around her slender frame, and fell instantly asleep.
My sleep had been on and off during the night, but I’d never experienced this sense of peace before, or maybe I just had never been present enough, aware enough, safe enough.
But those quiet moments, this sense of rightness, the simple weight of her body against mine anchored me to the present in a way nothing before her ever had.
My phone vibrated on the nightstand. I reached for it carefully, trying not to disturb Shorty, but she stirred anyway, murmuring something unintelligible as she pressed closer.
Anton’s message lit up the screen: “Cara’s okay. Still tracking Grey.”
I replayed yesterday’s scenario in my mind. Cristo Falcone had jumped into a storm-ravaged sea to save Cara Donnelly. The operation had been successful, though Grey had managed to slip away. Not ideal, but the priorities had been spot-on—the girl’s safety came first. Grey would be dealt with later. Because there was no way Cristo, the Paraskia, or I would ever let him roam free.
Against my chest, Isabella shifted, her eyes blinking open slowly. She looked up at me, momentary confusion givingway to recognition, then something softer that made my chest tighten.
“Morning,” she murmured, voice husky with sleep.
I brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Morning, Shorty.”
“Is that your phone? What time is it?”
“Early. Just after six.” I held up the screen. “News from Anton. Cara is okay.”
The sleepiness cleared from her eyes instantly. “Thank God, she’s okay.”
“Grey’s still on the run.” Or drowned, but I wouldn’t believe that until I saw his bloated corpse with my own two eyes. “Cristo’s quite the hero.”
Isabella pushed herself up on one elbow, fully awake now. A small smile curved her lips. “I’m not surprised he jumped after her. He’s been watching her like she’s made of gold.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Something you noticed?”
“Hard not to. The man practically stopped breathing when she walked into a room.” She stretched, catlike and graceful. “But Cara actually told me. I’m just glad she’s safe. Grey being free is…concerning.”
“We’ll find him,” I said with certainty. Finding targets was what I did best. And Grey had easily earned the number one spot on my shit list—along with Marcus Moretti.
Shorty settled back against me, her palm resting over my heart. “I know you will.”
The simple confidence in her voice affected me more than any praise from anyone else ever could. We lay like that for several minutes, existing in the quiet together, her fingertips occasionally tracing patterns on my chest.
A soft knock at the door shattered our sanctuary.
“Ivan?” Nina’s voice came through clearly. “Director Kozlova is demanding to speak with you. Now.”
I felt my body tense automatically. Isabella must have felt it, too, because her hand pressed more firmly against my chest as if to hold me there.
“Also,” Nina continued, “I intercepted communications. They’re transporting Marcus to a secure facility in an hour. Thought you would want to know.”
