Page 161 of The Bratva King

“Tell me about him.”

I open my mouth to give her the short version. Quiet. Sensitive.

“He’s extraordinary,” I say.

Lila smiles. “I cannot wait to meet him. I don’t know much about dinosaurs, but I love horses.”

“Yeah?”

“There were times in my life when the horses were the only thing keeping me together.”

I know enough about Lila’s past to understand what she means. Maybe one day, when Luke is home and the world isn’t falling apart, we’ll compare stories about surviving the men who were supposed to protect us.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you. For what they did to you and your mother.”

She looks at me, and I see old pain softened by happiness. “Maksim saved me. That’s the thing about these Sokolov men. They do not fuck around when it comes to protecting their family. I know you can trust him when he says he’ll bring Luke home.”

Tears spill from my eyes before I can stop them. “Thank you.”

“Nik cares about him,” I say. “He created an amazing sensory room for Luke. He has some special needs, and Nik takes them in stride. He never makes him feel different.”

“Really? I’d love to see it.”

I’m suddenly not sure I can go into the room. It’s a reminder Luke isn’t here.

“Sure.”

And then it dawns on me that I need to call Greg. He might have information.

“Actually, I need to grab my phone,” I say.

I hurry to my room. I don’t have to hide the phone anymore because Nik knows. For one second, I feel a sense of relief, then I remember that Matteo is alive and Luke is gone.

I grab the burner phone from the drawer, where I stashed it. My hands shake so badly that I nearly drop it twice. Lila appears in the doorway and leans against the frame, giving me space without leaving.

I pull up the only contact saved in the phone.

It rings once.

Twice.

A third time.

That’s not right. Greg always answers by the second ring.

The call connects.

I wait for the familiar, Hey, sweetheart.

My heart beats a little faster. I say nothing. That’s the rule. Wait for confirmation it’s him, just in case.

“Hello?” The voice is unfamiliar. Male, but not Greg.

My heart stutters.

“Where’s Greg?” I ask carefully.

“Can I ask who’s calling?”