Page 18 of Wyatt

“But if I stay, Mikka stays in danger.”

Sarai’s eyes widened.

“Just imagine if he’d been with me when RJ showed up, an assassin on her tail? He might have been killed.”

Roman’s jaw tightened and he glanced at Sarai.

“Listen,” Coco said. “Damien Gustov knows thatI knowthat he tried to kill my father. I don’t know what his end game is—kill me, hold me hostage—but whatever, I’m in danger. And because of me, so is Mikka. And frankly, Wyatt.” She looked at Roman. “Even you guys.”

“I can protect my family, Kat. You’re welcome here,” Roman said.

She wanted to believe him, but the thought of anything happening to Vitya or their daughter, Zia…

The only way to save Mikka—and Wyatt—was to disappear.

Maybe forever. “No. I need to leave town,” Coco said, finding her feet. “Tonight.”

Roman’s mouth tightened. “I don’t like it.”

“Where are you going?” Sarai said, ignoring Roman.

“I said goodbye to Wyatt. Now, I’m going to say goodbye to my son. And then, I’m going to disappear.”

She held up her hand to Roman’s deep breath, the foreplay to his building argument. “I’ve done it before. I can do it again. And trust me—this time I won’t be found.”

3

Wyatt sat on the Intourist restaurant patio, the USB drive on the table next to his smart phone. The view overlooked the darkened Amur, stars sprinkled overhead like eyes blinking in disbelief at his failure.

“Is there something wrong with your meal, sir?”

Wyatt glanced at the waitress, a pretty, skinny brunette with her hair in a bun. She wore the black-and-white dress of the hotel staff. He wasn’t the only one sitting in the outside seating area, but she’d swung by often enough for him to sense that perhaps she wasn’t doing her job well.

“It’s delicious. I just…I’m not hungry.”

He’d purchased a plate of smoked salmon and a pint of Baltika 3, but it swam in his gut and he might have made himself sicker.

He hadn’t had a beer in three years.

“Can I offer you something else? Maybe a hamburger?” She said it like a Russian,gambooger.

“No, thanks.” He offered her a smile, and she smiled back. And it simply hurt. Because he was a nice guy. And frankly, had tried to be the kind of guy worthy of Coco, especially after…

Well, after he realized what she meant to him.

Apparently, he didn’t mean the same to her.

“I’ll take my bill,” he said.

She moved away, and he reached for the phone, dreading the call. But RJ was probably pacing the floor of the great room back at their family ranch in Montana, so…

She picked up on the first ring. “So, what happened?”

“What time is it there?” He noticed Jace walking into the patio area with Deke and Kalen.

“Two-thirty in the morning—did you see York?”

“No, actually…” He took a breath. “Coco showed up.”

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