“Show me.”
He passes me an iPad, and I narrow my eyes and press play on the video.
Natasha walks into a restaurant and greetsher father. He kisses her cheek, and she smiles at him.
She fucking smiles at him.
With my heart thudding in my chest, I watch as they talk for a minute, and then Sergei’s face turns angry. He reaches out and swipes the necklace, snapping it off her throat, and then tosses it on the table.
Because he knows exactly what it is.
“Where is she now?” I ask as I pass the iPad back to Jack.
“On her way to the mansion.”
I nod once and stride to my car.
I have to go take care of my perfect, sweet little traitorous wife.
Twenty-Five
NATASHA
I should have toldJulian that I’m meeting with my father for lunch. I should have called him and let him talk me off the edge of this meltdown that I’m about to have. Not to mention, I don’t like keeping secrets from my husband. It feels wrong.
It feels like a lie.
But Julian didn’t come home last night, and he said he was busy with work, so I didn’t want to interrupt him. Distractions could mean the difference between life and death, and I need him to be safe.
God, I’ve fallen in love with him.I hated being in our bed by myself last night. I’m too used to sleeping while wrapped up in his arms. Our home is too cold and quiet without him. I did break down and send him some meaningless messages, but he never replied, so I stopped.
Now I’m wishing I had at least texted him one more time about my father because I could really use his deep, soothing voice in my ear right now, assuring me that everything will be okay and that my father can’t hurt me. But I can handle this onmy own. We’ll be in a public place. And I’m so much stronger since I’ve been with my husband.
He makes me feel like I can do anything. I need to thank him for that later.
I have two men with me, like I always do. They’re sitting up front, and we’re all silent as we drive into the city. My detail never says much to me. I don’t know if that’s because Julian has told them to keep a distance from me or if they simply don’t like me. But if these two are going to be with me for years, I’d like to get to know them.
“So, you’re Benji,” I say, gesturing to the driver. “And you’re ... ?”
“Gary,” the other one replies.
“Thanks for taking this assignment.”
“We don’t volunteer for things,” Benji reminds me. “We’re told. The boss wants us with you, so we’re with you.”
“Do you not like this assignment?”
Benji shrugs. “It’s fine.”
“I just wondered because you guys don’t say much.”
“We’re not here to be your friends,” Gary says. “We’re here to make sure no one can take you or kill you.”
“Maybe we could do both?”
They smirk at that, and it makes me relax a bit.
“We don’t have to be best friends, but we don’t have to be so formal.”
