Page 35 of Marked By His Touch

Zara and I are huddled together in her room. The soft glow of the bedside lamp hits the worn wooden floorboards, makingthem look like a shimmering lake. The structural plans of the beauty shop and Kitty’s Port Bar are spread out between us, a jumble of lines and ink that holds the promise of taking down Nikolai.Or so I hope.

Anna, the girl in the T-shirt, smuggled the plans inside the ranch to us, using a guard who owed her a favor.She’s got a lot of guts, that girl.

“Zara, I’m not sure this is the best entrance point,” I say, tracing my finger across the faded ink of the plans. The upper right corner has the logo of Port Haven City Hall. “The security at the club will be tight.”

“I think yes,slatka,” Zara says, her Russian accent thick.

“Slatka?” I frown. “Can you just tell me what it means?”

“It means sweetie in Russian,” she says. “We miss internet in here,da?”

“Da,Zara,” I say, my lips curling upwards. “Zara—” I taste the word, “is that even your real name?”

“Da,” Zara says. “Or, like in English, Sarah.”

My heart stutters. Like my Sarah. My mind flees to her meeting with Cole, the unsettling image flashing in my mind. It’s still there, a constant ache, but as long as she’s safe, I’m okay.

The scent of lavender and vanilla hangs in the air, a sweet, almost suffocating aroma that I’ve gotten used to lately after spending hours on end with Zara in here. I try to focus on the plans, but my thoughts drift to Cole, and I wonder what he wants with my other Sarah.

“Okay, so we need to get into the club undetected,” I say, focusing on the plans of Kitty’s Port Bar. “Maybe we can use the back entrance, the one by the loading dock.”

The one I escaped from.

Zara shakes her head. Her long dark hair cascades down her back, framing her sharp features. Her shoulders are broad and robust.

“Niet, ragdoll. Too risky.”

“Alright, so what do you suggest?” I continue. “Just walk right in the main entrance?”

“Good think,da,” Zara says. “And maybe we use busy night to help us. Get lost in the crowd, sneak in when everyone’s eyes are in—other places. We many beautiful girls, women. They like that club. Nikolai likes beautiful women.”

“Yes—” I say. I see Nikolai caressing my cheeks, his hungry eyes on me in my mind’s eye.

I shake myself back to reality, and we continue brainstorming, laying out potential entry points, diversion tactics, and the best way to take down Nikolai Romanov.

Without noticing, the door creaks open, interrupting our plans. The hinges groan, a chilling sound that makes my blood run cold.

My face drains of all color, leaving me ashen and drained.Shit.

Katerina stands in the doorway, her gaze piercing, her eyes like ice. She’s watching us, her face a mask of disapproval. How long has she been standing there? Her gray hair is pulled back in a tight bun, framing her weathered face. She lets out an exasperated sigh, a deep furrow forming between her eyebrows.

I see Zara shifting on the squeaky bed next to me. The coils are worn, and I feel the metal through the mattress.

Katerina has been eavesdropping. How much has she heard?

“Your secrets?” she snaps. “We can’t have secrets within our walls. It break the house!”

Her fingers drum impatiently on the doorframe table like a rhythmic, irritated beat. The corners of her mouth turn downward in a subtle frown.

Zara, more or less unfazed by Katerina’s intrusion, says, “We know,mamma.” Her voice is calm. “But we need to do this,devushkain there. Many. And Nikolai Romanov—there.”

Katerina stops, her hand hovering on the door. She rubs her chin like a puppet master preparing for his show. “Romanov—” She chews on the word, a flicker of something in her eyes.

“Don’t tell Alexander, Katerina, please,” I say.

Katerina rolls her eyes, a gesture that seems to mock my fear. She furrows her brows and steps closer.

“How canmammahelp?” she asks.

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