Page 24 of Blood Oath Christmas
We leave the man sitting there, his mouth clenched together in a grim line, and drive back to the estate. Once inside, Viktor heads off to talk to some of the other guys and to give them an update while I go to my office and make a call to my FBI guy.
“I take it the agents stranded out by the river with flat tires is your handiwork?” Kline says by way of greeting. “And you just had to take the witness, right? You didn’t tell me that was your plan.”
“Because I usually tell you my plans?”
“Fair enough.” I can almost hear him shrug through the phone. “But you took our witness!”
“I took her out of a position you failed to secure,” I say.
“You’re forcing my hand.”
“I’m giving you a way to keep it steady,” I say. “You file that the witness declined further protective custody after court. She exercised her right to leave. Shelve the paperwork until January and put marked cars where Antonov will see them and feel watched.”
“That is falsifying?—”
“That is you doing what I pay you to do,” I remind him. “Or do you want out of your very profitable arrangement?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” His answer is fast, almost panicked.
“Then get to work,” I order and disconnect the call.
After taking a quick shower, I make my way to Ivy’s room. The guard nods to let me know there haven’t been any problems. I don’t bother knocking and use my key to let myself in. There was no light shining from under the door or else I would have knocked.
Ivy lies on her side on the bed, the blankets pulled up to her neck so that only her face is visible. Her breathing is slow and even, and she looks so damn young and vulnerable. Stepping closer to the bed, I look down at her and my heart clenches. She is young. Young enough to be my daughter, yet here I am drooling over her, wanting much more than she wants to give.
A soft knock at the door draws me from my thoughts and Viktor walks in. His gaze goes to the bed, his expression softening when he sees her sleeping form. He’s watched over her just as long as I have and I know he sees her as more than just a duty, too. Although, I doubt his thoughts are as lecherous as mine. He views her as a family member he needs to protect.
I point to the door then follow him out of Ivy’s room. We walk a little way down the hallway for privacy.
“What is it?” I ask.
“Found another contractor.”
Anger has me clenching my jaw. “Who is it?”
“I don’t have a name,” Viktor says, “But whoever it is, he’s FBI.”
13
IVY
Iwake, and for a second I don’t remember where I am. The ceiling is too high, and the light is too soft and gold, the kind that slips through heavy curtains instead of blasting through flimsy blinds. My blanket is weighty, the good and comfortable kind, and the silk sheets are cool and smooth against my skin. And this mattress! It feels like it was made for me, like a comfortable pair of jeans you wear even when they are barely holding together by a thread.
Then everything lands at once. The SUV boxed in on the river road. The men with the guns. Konstantin opening the car door and stealing me away from the FBI. The house with its iron gates and quiet guards, and Christmas laid out like a ceremony.
The proposal.
My mouth is dry and my stomach feels hollowed out, but before I can get a grasp on everything, a knock sounds at the door and a second later, a woman slips inside. My heart skips a beat and I’m not sure if it’s relief or disappointment that it isn’t Konstantin coming through the door. The woman looks to be in her fifties. A black scarf covers her hair and her cheeks are rosy,as if she just came in from outside. She’s weighted down by a handful of shopping bags.
“Dobryy den',” she says, then adds in careful English, “Good morning.”
“Hi,” I say, because my brain is still chewing on the sight of those bags. Saks. Neiman Marcus. Bergdorf. It’s like the city snuck into this old house and dropped a handful of Madison Avenue in my room.
“These are for you,” she says. “A gift. From the Mikhailov.”
“Mikhailov?” I ask with a confused frown.
The maid nods. “Konstantin Mikhailov.” She must feel like she needs to explain further because she nods and says, “The head of this family.”
