Page 159 of Vendetta Vows

And there's nothing I can do.

41

AURORA

I storm into my bedroom,and slam the door behind me with enough force to rattle it in its frame.

My hands are shaking with fury and something deeper. Betrayal. After everything I've shared with Ruslan, after all we've been through together, he's turned into exactly what I feared he might be.

Moving to the window, I look down at his office where I can see him sitting rigidly at his desk. Across from him, Mikayla's small frame is hunched, her head bowed.

Even from this distance, there's no mistaking the tears streaming down her face as Ruslan continues his interrogation.

"Fuck," I whisper, pressing my palm against the glass.

My heart tears in half watching this scene. Part of me understands Ruslan's position. Someone has compromised our security. Someone has been watching us, has photographs of the girls. If Kristofer has found me, has found us...

I shake my head. He wants to protect his family. I get that.

But Mikayla is a child!

She's torn between two worlds. She doesn't deserve to be treated like this, to face the cold, merciless pakhan instead of her uncle.

I pace the room, my thoughts racing. Maybe I should have stayed with him, tried harder to make him see reason. But the moment he pushed me out, and treated me like I was just another subordinate to be controlled...

My phone buzzes on the nightstand. Hannah.

Thank god.

I need a friendly voice right now.

"Hannah," I answer, relief flooding my voice. "You won't believe what Ruslan just?—"

"Hello, Jamie."

The voice that cuts across the line isn't Hannah's. It's deep, male, and something I haven't heard in seven years outside of my nightmares.

Seven years of running, of hiding, of becoming someone else.

All of it falls away in an instant by that horrible, familiar voice.

"What's the matter, Jamie? Cat got your tongue?" Kristofer's voice is eerily calm, almost playful. "Did you like my gifts? The music box was your favorite, wasn't it? Remember how you used to wind it up and dance for me when you thought no-one else was watching?"

My throat closes up. The room spins around me. Black spots appear in my vision.

"Say something, Jamie," he hisses, his tone suddenly sharp as glass. "I've been waiting seven years to hear your voice again."

I grip the phone so hard my knuckles turn white. "Where's Hannah?" I finally manage, my voice barely a whisper.

His laugh—that same dark laugh—makes my skin crawl.

"Oh she's fine for now." There's rustling on the other end of the line. "But I can't make any guarantees about what could happen later."

"Please," I gasp, tears burning my eyes. "Please don't hurt her. She's innocent. She has nothing to do with this."

"Nothing to do with this?" He clicks his tongue. "She's been hiding you from me."

"Kristofer, please."

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