“Less cryptic, please.”
He glances aside, as if taking one more moment to think about what he’s going to next. Then he speaks. “Your father,” he says, “is Peter Morozov.”
My throat goes dry as the elevator doors open. “What?”
The world around me spins. I don’t know what to think, what to do. Bogdan places his hand on my shoulder, guiding me out of the elevator. I can barely feel my feet move under me. It’s like I’m in some kind of daze.
“I wish it weren’t true,” he says. “But it is. Sasha’s known since before he met you. He was, as you know, ordered to watch over you, keep you safe from that monster. It’s certainly not my place to tell you, but you need to know.”
“No.No. My father isn’t that man. My father’s dead.”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry, but that’s not true.”
“It’s not possible. It can’t be possible.” The world keeps spinning around me. “Why didn’t Sasha tell me?”
“I’m sure you can imagine why. And I’m sure he would’ve shared the truth with you in time. But we don’t have time. You need to know now. You need to know the stakes.”
I stumble backward, bumping into the cement wall behind me. Bogdan hurries to my side, placing his hand on myshoulder. It’s comforting, steadying. But I feel sick and awful.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “You don’t deserve any of this. But if it’s any consolation, know that Sasha cares about you more than anything, cares about keeping you safe more than anything. This is why he’s been acting like a madman, why he won’t let you leave his sight. He knows what will happen if Peter finds out.”
“Peter doesn’t know?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. But when he does find out…” Bogdan doesn’t need to finish the sentence.
I can’t move. I feel stuck, scared.
“I can’t go. I can’t go back there.”
“You have to. I know this is all so horrible, but you need to be where we can protect you. Think about the babies, Gabby.”
He’s right. But I still can’t move. Peter appears in my mind, those eyes of his, just like mine.
“I can take you to a safe house in town. It’s not the penthouse. It’s quiet, and you can be by yourself. Take some time to think. I’ll tell Sasha what’s going on and that you need space. But you have to promise me—no more running alone. Okay?”
I wipe my eyes, hot tears burning them. “Yeah, yeah. Okay.”
“Good. Now, come on.”
Feeling returns to my legs. Bogdan places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the garage.
“Car’s just over here. Come.”
We keep going, steps echoing on the concrete. Strangely, for the first time since fleeing Angie’s place, I feel a sense of relief. Maybe once Bogdan gets me to this safe house, I can breathe again, if only for a little while.
Then the sound of an engine revving cuts through the moment. Bogdan reacts instantly, his arm flinging across me, pushing me back. Tires screech. A black SUV swings around the lines of parked cars.
“Down!”
A burst of gunfire splits the air, followed by glass shattering, bullets ricocheting against the metal sides of cars. Bogdan pushes me again, this time behind a cement pillar. Hidden behind the thing, I watch as he slips a pistol out of his coat. Figures spill out of the SUV, men in black masks, rifles in their hands.
He turns to me, his eyes burning. “Stay down and stay quiet.”
Bogdan raises his pistol and fires a quick pair of shots, precise and controlled. One of the men groans and drops. The other ducks behind a car and opens fire.
My ears ring from the horrible noise, the gunfire extra loud in the open expanse of the garage. My heart pounds. Bogdan moves with total efficiency and calm, his eyes fixed forward. For a moment, I think he might have the situation under control.
Then another shot rings out. A sharp cry tears from him, and he drops to his knees.
