Page 27 of Deceitful Promises

What can I feel, then? I’ve experienced nothing like this before, whatever it is.

She says nothing for the rest of the fifty-minute drive. I keep trying to think of things to say, conversations I might start, but it’s not as if I’m unaccustomed to silence. It gives me a chance to think.

Whatisthe next step, then? If Molly decides she wants nothing to do with her daughter, do I take her back and pretend this never happened? Do I somehow forget my ballerina?

There it is again—myballerina. I seriously need to fix that way of thinking.

On the outskirts of the forest, I pull my car up into its hiding spot and look over at Ania. She still has her arms folded, staring straight ahead like she doesn’t want to speak to me or anybody.

“Don’t worry, I won’t run again. Where would I go? I want to lie down.”

“That’s fine. Let’s go.”

“I’m so glad I have your permission,” she retorts.

“You know I like it when you’re sarcastic, right?”

She shoots a look at me, then quickly turns away when a smile begins to touch her lips. It’s like she can’t help herself. I grin, but then she quickly pushes open the car door like she can’t wait to get away from me. I follow her toward the lodge.

I smell it at first: charred wood and smoke. The fire was recent and controlled.

Ania gasps as we come into view. The lodge is still smoldering, black smoke curling into the air. I don’t stop to ask questions. I don’t let myself think about how they found us. I don’t even let myself go through the list of people it could be. The obvious ones who spring to mind are her brothers, but how? And how so fast?

Ania gasps when I sweep her into my arms. I do it just in time. Raised voices come through the trees, saying, “Did you hear a car?”

“Which way?”

I run fast, holding Ania one-handed as I throw open the car door. She wriggles in my grip, but I don’t have time to think about how this second kidnapping is much more forceful than the first. Putting her in the driver’s seat, I climb in after her. She wriggles into the passenger seat and then immediately goes for the door. I hit my emergency lock, sealing us inside.

Just as I back out of the spot, three men come into view, all of them holding themselves like men capable of violence. If they’re with the Sokolovs, I don’t recognize them. Maybe the Sokolovs hired them.

I turn and drive, glancing in the rearview. Two of them have guns, but they don’t fire or even aim at us. Either they know my vehicle is bulletproof, or they don’t want to risk hurting one of us, most likely Ania.

“I told you they’d find me,” Ania whispers. “They’re not as weak and powerless as you seem to think or want to believe.”

“We don’t know anything yet,” I reply sharply.

“Just let me go back. Let me go home.”

“Is that what you want?” I growl, speeding through the forest toward the road. “To go with three men that you don’t even know? Maybe they’re old enemies. I’ve made plenty in my life.”

“Oh, really? How?”

“Hurting bad people. Their friends sometimes don’t like it.”

I reach the road and continue driving, gripping the steering wheel hard.

“If it was your brothers,” I growl, “why would they burn down the lodge?”

“Maybe the men they hired are idiots. Or maybe they wanted to send a message.”

I grind my teeth. This was never supposed to get back to me. My head throbs, trying to bend this into a shape that makes sense.

“The only other person who knows about this lodge is Garry.”

“Who’s Garry?” she asks, her tone neutral and distant, making me wonder if she’s biding her time for another escape attempt. This time, she might be more successful.

“A man who arranges things off the books. He’s never let me down before.”

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