I wanted to point out that “she” was right here, but it kind felt like they were getting to the logical conclusion in their own.
Bram’s dark eyes spit fire. “I’m not putting my sister in the line of fire.”
“We’re not exactly eager to put Cass in danger,” Jagger said. “In case you haven’t noticed, we’re in love with her.”
A warm flush spread through my chest at the confession, but Bram clearly didn’t feel the same way.
His mouth flattened into a line.
“Yeah, we’d never do anything to hurt our mouse,” Vigo said. “But if I have to bet on her safety, I’d take the bet where we’re the ones protecting her over the one where we leave her in an abandoned cabin in the middle of the Russian mountains two miles from the guy who’s been trying to kill her.”
Bram cursed.
“Therearefour of us,” Hawk said.
“We’ve got plenty of weapons,” Vigo said. “We’ll keep her covered.”
Jagger met my eyes. “Plus, this is Cassie’s fight too. It’s really her decision.”
Thank you, Jagger.
Vigo nodded and looked at Bram. “And didn’t you say you were going to let her grow up, make her own decisions?”
Bram looked like he wanted to murder every one of them.
But we he was definitely starting with Vigo.
“Fuck.” Bram sighed and looked at Hawk. “There better be flak jackets in those duffels from Rafe.”
49
HAWK
I didn’t lovethat Cassie was with us as we drove toward the old service road below Kaprolov’s house, the headlights on the SUV lighting our way through the dark.
I wanted her tucked away somewhere.
Safe.
But Jagger was right. It wasn’t our call.
And Cassie was right too. I would have worried about her all alone in the cabin. I had no reason to believe Kaprolov knew we were coming, but I also knew how it worked in Russia: oligarchs were all powerful, eyes and ears everywhere.
I wasn’t willing to risk leaving Cassie alone.
“Remember,” I said. “You stay with me, and you do what I say, no matter what.”
“I know,” she said. “I got it.”
I’d issued the instructions more than once, like that might prevent something from going wrong.
We followed the beat-up truck Bram was driving, Vigo in the passenger seat, up the dirt road. Some of the snow had been blown off by the wind, which carried it over the side and down the mountain, and some of it had been packed by other vehicles,but it was still touch and go. More than once I felt the tires of the rented SUV — an older Russian model I’d never heard of — struggle to gain traction, and I tried to hide my relief when Bram finally stopped the truck along the side of the road.
We’d come this far. The last thing we needed was to end up over the side of the mountain before we even reached Dimitri.
I got out of the car with Jagger and Cassie, and we moved around to the back to gear up.
“Yo,” Vigo said, coming around to join us, his flak jacket already strapped over his torso. “That was a wild ride.”
