He’s also Koda’s, and my little sister Katya’s, father.
She’s the only reason I do any of this bullshit. She’s the only person I give one single shit about. I don’t want her in this house with these idiots, even Koda, although it’s not because he’s evil.
It’s because he’s a dumbass. He’s reckless, impulsive, and sneaky as shit.
At least he loves her almost as much as I do, though. “Did you find it?”
Does it look like I’m holding a fucking elephant?“No.”
“Did you check the house thoroughly?”
No.
Jane was leaving when we stopped by to look at the house. “Yes.” I ignore Koda’s looks. To lighten the mood, I say, “Koda did try to hit on her, though.” I smirk.
“What?!” Ivan growls. Okay, shit. I didn’t think it would be a big deal. “You stay the fuck away from her.” Whoa.What the fuck.
“I didn’t!” Koda punches my arm. “Thanks a lot, dick. You’re one to talk. Her brother kept giving you fuck-me eyes the entire time we were at his bakery.”
Goddammit Koda.
I slowly turn my head to him. He sees it too, in my eyes. Fuck. I don’t want to play all my cards, and Koda damn near threw my hand in Ivan’s face. I want to find that elephant too, but I want leverage.
“Wait.” Ivan’s brows bunch. “Brother?” He’s thinking about something. “How old is he?”
“Didn’t ask for his birth certificate while I was there.” I hold up the bag. “Just wanted to get a cupcake for Kat.” All I know is that he’s kind of cute and loves lemon desserts, and isreallybad at talking to strangers. “They look about the same age.”
“What’s his name?” Ivan says quietly.
Koda thinks. I won’t help him. He got us into this mess, he can deal with it. I’m not giving Ivan shit. “Some S name, right?” I ignore him. “Sam? Simon? Saw?—”
“Sawyer,” Ivan whispers with a smile. It chills me. “Was it Sawyer?”
“Yeah!”
“Tom Sawyer.” I hear him whisper. “So predictable,”
“What?” I’m missing something here.
“We saw her going into his bakery,” Koda says.
“Where?”
“Fortsmith,” I rush out, giving him the name of a town over. Koda is giving him too much. Something isn’t right. I’m not sure what, but I know I don’t like this. I’m not protecting Sawyer, I’m just not giving Ivan everything. This information is for me. That’s right. For me.
“I want you to search that place top to bottom.”
“Why?” He blinks at me. Right. Not my fucking business. It’s possible the statue could be there. “How am I supposed to do that?”
Ivan walks toward us near the stairwell, and I bite back the urge to shrink with every step he takes. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s beaten me into submission. I nearly lost an eye at his hand. Tagar actually did. What Ivan lacks in brains he more than makes up for with violence.
He takes broken people, gives them a place to stay, then controls them.
We’re like toys to him. Collectibles.
He owns us, and while he doesn’t handle the dirty work himself, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill any of us if we disobeyed him. “I don’t give a fuck how, but you find that elephant and I’ll give you enough money to get your own place. And I’ll let Katya stay with you.”
My limbs grow cold.
