He scoops the toddler up like it’s second nature and disappears into the house, leaving us with the boy—Max, I think—still flinging himself into the deep end like gravity’s a challenge. Zeus barks every time he hits the water, cheering him on.
I watch the chaos, jaw tight. “Enough jokes. We lay this out clean.”
Boris adjusts the laptop on his knees, shielding it from stray splashes. “I loop the feeds. Inside and out. Their men won’t see me coming.”
Dima: “I’ll take the service corridors. Intercept team.”
Lev grins, still chewing. “Guess that makes me the waiter again. Don’t worry, boss—I’ll even carry a tray without shooting anyone. Probably.”
“Stick to the plan,” I tell him. “We keep her close. Any move they make, we cut it off before it starts.”
The boy climbs onto the diving board, arms spread wide, shouting something about “the ultimate super bomb.”
I watch him jump, water exploding around him, and my stomach does something I can’t explain.
Mary’s face flashes in my head again. And for one second, I’m not thinking about the gala, or Timofey, or Caleb. I’m thinking about what it would feel like if this were my life.
And then I shut it down. Because it isn’t.
I check my watch—4.30 PM—a habit more than need. Mary should be at her grandmother’s house by now. Dima has one of his contacts keeping an eye on things. A quiet guy who looks like a handyman but carries a Sig Sauer under his tool belt.
The way she handled herself at the bank today. Not the same woman who stumbled into my apartment weeks ago. She stood up, sharp as glass, and then planted that device under Caleb’s nose like it was routine.
I flex my hand on the table, knuckles cracking, and tilt my head toward Dima. “She in?”
He doesn’t glance up, just shifts his eyes to me. “Yes. Two minutes ago. Safe.”
Max’s laughter explodes from the pool, high-pitched and wild. Zeus barks like he’s trying to compete.
I drag my gaze back to the table. “Anything from Caleb?”
Dima shakes his head. “Nothing direct. He made a call after leaving the bank. Russian. Kept it vague. But it wasn’t business as usual.”
Lev whistles low, leaning back in his chair. “Did you hear her with those two office harpies? She made them look like amateurs. Didn’t think she had that in her.”
Dima nods once. “Good instincts. Quick hands.”
Boris doesn’t look up from his laptop, but his mouth shifts, the closest thing he gives to a smile. “Cleaner than some of you in training.”
I don’t show it, but pride hits me hard and fast. Mine. Like her win belongs to me.
A shout cuts across the yard. “Help!” Max’s voice, shrill, half swallowed by water. He’s clinging to the side of the pool, too close to the deep end, feet scrabbling. Zeus is barking like he’s sounding the alarm.
I push back my chair and cross the patio in three strides. Grab the boy by the back of his swim shirt, haul him up and out, dripping and coughing. He’s lighter than he looks.
“You trying to drown yourself,malchik?” I mutter, setting him on his feet.
Max wipes his face with both hands, grins up at me through dripping curls.
“Thanks, mister.”
He bolts back toward the diving board like nothing happened. I shake my head and go back to the table.
“Mary stays put tonight,” I say, sliding back into my chair. “But tomorrow? She goes back to the bank. That’s exposure.”
Dima leans forward. “I’ll keep eyes on the grandmother’s house. Same man. He won’t move.”
Lev shrugs. “We should arm her. Teach her how not to die if someone grabs her.”
