She turned her attention to the petite woman. Miko was so well put together, and Lila admired her perfect makeup. Her grandmother had tried her best to teach Lila about makeup, but Lila could never really pay attention to it. She would start applying blush or mascara, and she would never finish. She figured walking around with no makeup was better than having half her face done.
“I do. He has had more than one run-in on his job. Then there was the threat in Vegas.”
“That turned out to be nothing.”
“Nothing? So it wasn’t an old informant who wanted to ensure you never spoke about him?”
Vladimir Duchovny was an oligarch who had no loyalty to Russia. His loyalty is only to his bank account. He sold out the Russian government, helping Ian take out a Russian arms dealer. Since Ian had left MI-6, Duchovny had been after him.
“We took him down.”
She sniffed in his direction, then looked at Miko. “Yes, he does have threats. It’s odd how many of his jobs have gone off the rails in the last three months.”
It had started with that hit in Vegas. Since then, there had been one FUBAR situation after another. Just like with Rachel or Raquel or whatever the fuck she was calling herself today. That should have never happened.
“So, the change in MO might have to do with your connection with Ian?”
“I don’t have a connection to Ian.”
Miko sighed. “His father brought you to your grandmother after your family’s murder. Then, you have been watching out for him. Someone might have picked up on it.”
She sat up straighter and there was a slight twinge in her stomach.
“I did this to Ian?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way, but it’s one possibility. I want to go back to your close calls—as you call them.”
“Okay.”
“Did you recognize the person?”
She shook her head. “I never saw them. Well, except of the guy who attacked me yesterday. Or was it two days ago?” She shook her head. Not important. “All the others…I didn’t know if they were real threats or not.”
“Is there anything else? Or can this wait?” Ian asked as she settled deeper into the sofa. “Lila needs some rest.”
“I can keep going.”
“No,” Miko said. “You’re recovering from a concussion. You do need your rest.”
She would never admit out loud that she was relieved to have a break, but she was.
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
“Yes. Your brain got banged, so pushing it right now would be a mistake.”
Well, she could do with a break, especially from Ian. But, of course, he decided to foil her plan to escape from him.
“Miko, I need a word before I go,” Conner said.
“Of course.” She looked at Lila. “Even if you don’t go to sleep, take a break and let your brain rest. You’ve been through a lot in the last few days.”
She nodded at the woman. “Thanks for your help.”
“Happy to help,” she said.
Lila watched Conner follow her out of the room, knowing that they were going to talk about her and her situation. It made her feel itchy. Like one of those kinds of itches you got beneath the skin, and you had no idea why.
“What is going on in your head?”
