“Are you sure?”
I held Vadim’s gaze. “I’m sure he’s going to hear it if he tries.”
Petya was quiet for a second. “Good.”
The call ended.
I kept the phone at my ear after the line went dead.
My hand had started shaking.
Vadim crossed the room then. Not before. Not during. Only after Petya was gone and the silence left space for me to fall apart if I wanted.
I lowered the phone.
“What did Lev say?” I asked.
“Gennady reached Petya through an old contact from the gambling room. The number is being traced. Petya’s phone is being replaced. He will be moved again before noon.”
“Because Gennady knows where he is?”
“Because Gennady knows he can reach him.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“No.” Vadim stopped in front of me. “It is enough.”
My eyes stung harder. I hated that. “He told Petya I was a loss he had to pay for.”
“I heard.”
“Of course you did.”
“I didn’t listen because I wanted your pain.”
“I know.”
His face changed.
Maybe he’d expected me to fight him there. Maybe I’d expected it too.
I set my phone down on the bed. “Do you think he’ll really go after Petya?”
“Gennady will try to use whatever door he can find.”
“And Petya is a door.”
“To you,” Vadim said. “Yes.”
I looked down at my bare knees below the robe. The silk had slipped open enough to show the inside of my thigh, and a flush crept over my skin that had nothing to do with embarrassment. I remembered Vadim’s hand there while Petya’s broken voice stayed in my ear.
I pulled the robe tighter. The silk dragged across my nipples and made my breath catch.
Vadim saw it.
He looked away first.
“I need to get dressed,” I said.
