“Just focus on the sex,” Faina murmurs with a yawn. “That’s what I’m going to do.”
She presents an opportunity for us to talk aboutusbut within a few minutes, her shallow breathing in the dark signifies one thing. She’s asleep, and I’m not selfish enough to wake her. Withher hand still in my lap, I crack open one of the windows an inch and follow her into an awkward sleep in the car.
Turbulent dreams follow me through the Land of Nod. Nothing specific, but the auction melts into the horror Saoirse created with her words in her report and from there, all I dream about is my family being just out of reach. They're always just out of my peripheral, out of my line of sight no matter how far or how fast I run. I’m destined to always be separated from them.
Faina’s warm hands wake me the next morning. She’s hovering over me with her brow furled, but it relaxes the moment we make eye contact. “Morning.”
“Morning.” Bright sunlight streams through the canopy of trees, protecting us, and a luscious forest of bushes, plants, and trees surrounds us. “We’re not dead then?”
She shakes her head and slides back into her seat. “I already did a sweep. We’re safe.”
“A sweep?”
“Yes. While you were sleeping, I checked the perimeter. It looks like we’re on the border of a farm, which is kind of perfect. So don’t worry, we’re safe.”
“Wish you woke me.” I yawn while stretching my arms the best I can in the cramped car. My back twinges and an ache throbs in my left leg.
“Sorry, Sleeping Beauty.” Faina smirks. “Not my fault you’re not an early riser.”
“If you two are quite finished,” a third voice says, making me jump almost out of my skin in alarm. Faina quickly points to the phone on the dashboard of the car and calms me with a smile.
“Relax,” she soothes. “It’s Anastasia.”
13
FAINA
“Anastasia?” Cian straightens like a board in his seat, but he isn’t able to hide the way he grasps his left leg. Sleeping in the car can’t have been great for him, and a small swirl of guilt warms my gut. I should have made him sleep in the back or found somewhere much more comfortable for him to rest.
“She called me.”
“We have a phone?”
Arching a brow, I place one hand over my chest. “Did you not see me hide my phone in my bra when I got changed?”
Cian’s pale cheeks pinken slightly. “I didn’t watch you.”
“What a gentleman.”
Anastasia clears her throat softly on the other end of the line.
”Sorry,” I say. “We’re not supposed to have contact, but she called me because Erik worked out we were compromised.”
“Hey, Anastasia.”
“Cian.” Her voice softens when she speaks his name. “Please believe me when I say there isn’t enough time to say everything I have to say. We have to work on the basis that Hexagon is watching everything we do back here in the States, so I will speak quickly.”
Cian and I exchange a glance. “Please continue.”
“The majority of our accounts have been drained. We’re running on fumes right now. Several prominent families I was working with back in Russia have been slaughtered. We’re completely cut off right now. Hexagon knows we’re onto them and they’re taking us down.”
“Do you need me back?” It’s my gut instinct to return home and protect Anastasia and whoever we have left. But as soon as the words leave me, I instantly know my heart isn’t in it. Being here with Cian is where I’m supposed to be, and judging by the tone of Anastasia’s reply, we both know that coming back would be suicide.
“No, I need you to stay on this.”
“But clearly I’m throwing up flags if?—”
“Faina,” Anastasia snaps. “Please. The two of you need to keep going. We’re not safe until we know exactly who is behind this so please?—”
