Page 272 of Sexting His Assistant

The air smells like metal, dust, river damp, and oil.

My men spread around me, silent now. Sergei signals left. Dima moves with two men toward the loading dock. Pavel stays close, gun drawn, eyes moving over every shadow.

I should be thinking like a Pakhan. I should be counting exits. Reading angles. Measuring risk.

Instead, all I can think is that Nina’s last message was not even complete.

That the last thing she told me when we spoke was an apology and I ignored her.

I would burn the city down if it meant she could yell at me herself.

A shout comes from inside the warehouse.

Muffled. Female. My blood stops.

Then a gunshot cracks through the distance.

Everything moves at once. Birds explode from the roofline.

Sergei curses.

Pavel says, “Inside.”

I’m already running.

30

NINA

A little earlier…

She’s composed. Efficient.

Like this is just another task on her list.

When we reach the back exit of the building, a black van is already waiting in the alley. The side door slides open. I try to pull back, but the man behind me grabs my arm harder.

“No,” I say.

Meredith turns. “Get in.”

“No.”

The man shoves me forward.

My injured head spins from the movement, and for one terrifying second, the ground tilts under my feet. I grab the edge of the van door to stop myself from falling.

The man pushes me into the van.

I land hard on the seat, pain flashing behind my eyes. Before I can recover, he climbs in after me and grabs my wrists. Plastic ties snap around them, tight enough to bite.

Meredith gets in last. The door shuts and the van pulls away.

I look at her across the dark space between us. “Luka will find you.”

Meredith says nothing.

“He will,” I say. “You know he will.”