“What were they doing here?” I whisper to Dominik as I turn to face him, my pulse thumping erratically.
Dominik shakes his head, looking uneasier than usual. “That was a scout patrol. And they had to be Irish or Armenian because Gavriil needs every man at the estate.”
I drag my fingers through my hair. Gavriil did what he thought would protect us, and we still almost got caught. If they had found us, they would’ve killed us.
He sent us away to keep us safe—and still couldn’t control the outcome.
If we ended up getting killed, he would never forgive himself. Ever.
He’d be devastated, and the thought of him punishing himself for that makes me want to run to him right now.
Part of me wants to scream at him. A bigger part wants to run straight into his arms.
Sending us away wasn’t the right move. It’s just what felt safe forhimbecause distance is easier for him.
“I hate it, but I think we need to leave before they come back,” Dominik says as he heads to the kitchen.
“I agree,” Viktor replies. “We got lucky this time. The next scouts could barge in on us.”
“We’ll have to go on foot if they’re watching the roads,” Renat suggests.
“He’s right,” Dominik says to me. “On the roads, the SUV could be ambushed or come up on one of their roadblocks.”
My blood runs cold; my feet rooted to the spot as uncertainty paralyzes me. The thought of roaming around on foot while enemy scouts patrol the area makes me sick to my stomach.
That sounds like a death sentence. But staying here is one, too.
With a heavy sigh, my shoulders sag. “Gavriil would flip out if he knew they got so close to us…”
Dominik crosses over to me and cups my face, his lips brushing my forehead. “He did what he thought was right with limited options.”
“Well, he’s clearly not the best strategist in the family,” I mutter as I lean into his comforting hold.
I don’t blame Gavriil for this change of plans, though. Their enemies are being more careful than we expected. And that makes them even more dangerous.
Dominik cracks a grin at my remark, and the sight makes my chest flood with light. “No, he’s not. I wish he’d get that through his thick head.”
“I told him as much to his face,” I admit, feeling the tiniest flicker of pride.
Dominik pecks me on the lips, his smile turning bittersweet. “Brave girl. You’re the only person in the world who could get away with that.”
But what’s the point if he still won’t listen to me?
Frustration burns under my skin as I shake my head. “Why does he have to be so stubborn?”
Dominik sighs. “That’s a complicated answer.”
Gavriil is the definition of complicated, but instead of that nudging me away like he wants, it coaxes me closer. As close as he’ll let me.
“We need to hurry up and go before they come back. I don’t feel like dying tonight,” Renat says.
“Where we headed to, boss?” Viktor asks.
“I have an idea. It’s risky, especially if the estate falls tonight, but we can’t head to the city on foot,” Dominik explains.
“Where will we go?” I ask him in concern. Moving further away from Gavriil doesn’t feel right.
“The bunker.”
