Page 78 of Savage Hearts
“Trauma unit,” I repeat, struggling to find the memory. There’s nothing. It’s a dead end. A blank wall.
“A place we use, off the books. You had surgery. You’ve been given analgesics, antibiotics, and hydration through IV. Blood transfusions, too.” He pauses. “You shouldn’t be alive.”
My voice faint, I say, “I told you I was stubborn.”
“Yes. You did.”
He gazes at me with such searing intent, I grow self-conscious.
The self-consciousness vanishes when my fried brain synapses decide to start firing again, and I remember something Spider told me when we were fleeing from Malek at the bookstore.
“He’s the right hand of the Moscow Bratva king.”
The important part being “Moscow.”
My heartbeat surges into a thundering gallop. My voice turnshoarse. “When you said I’m at your home… where are we, exactly?”
Holding my gaze, he says a word. It’s not in English.
My instincts suggest it’s the name of a town, but it can’t be what I’m thinking. I refuse to believe it’s true.
I whisper, “Where have you taken me? Where is this place?”
He remains silent. His eyes are full of darkness. Such deep, impenetrable darkness, it’s like looking into an abyss.
“You already know where you are. And this is where you’ll be staying.”
Then he stands and leaves the room, closing the door behind him.
TWENTY-FOUR
DECLAN
“I have something.”
The sound of Kazimir’s voice on the other end of the phone is both a relief and an instant aggravation. “It’s been over a week!”
“You’re lucky I found anything at all.” He pauses meaningfully. “Your FBI contact come through for you?”
“You bloody well know he didn’t,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Yes. And I had to kill three men to get this information. So a little appreciation is in order.”
“Just get to the fucking point already!”
“Since you asked me so nicely, I will.”
His voice oozes sarcasm and self-congratulations. I mutter to myself, “This bloody minger will be the death of me.”
“With any luck. Do you want to hear this or not?”
He seems satisfied that my silent seething is a yes and continues.
I immediately wish he hadn’t.
“She’s in Russia.”
After I regroup from that shock, I say, “How? We had eyes on the whole country. Airports, bus terminals, ports, everything.”
