Page 13 of Scorch

“Tell her to stop. He could be tapping her phone.”

“Of course he’s fucking tapping her phone,” Aleks mutters.

Jesus.

I need her to stay safe so I can bring her back home to me. It won’t be the solution we need all around, but here is the best place for her. We’ll deal with whatever shit the men of the Ledyanoye Bratstvo give us after she’s here with me.

“She’s tense. Vulnerable,” Lev says, looking at the footage on my phone. “She knows something’s up, doesn’t she?”

“Who knows what the fuck he’s saying to her.”

“I do,” Aleks says with a grin. He taps something on his phone, and Lydia’s beautiful, sultry voice comes through the speakers.

“You’ll keep me safe, won’t you?”

“Always, Lydia.”

A third voice joins the conversation. “May I offer you a dessert menu?”

“No, we don’t need dessert,” the asshole says. “We’re leaving.”

Fuck.

As long as there is breath in my lungs, Yudin will never touch her. I will protect Lydia with every ounce of my being. I will not allow anyone to inflict harm upon her. What happened to my sister will never happen to another innocent, fragile soul. Not while I’m alive.

Not ever.

I do a mental check of the weapons I’ve got—a sleek handgun and hidden blade.

I’m ready.

I can still see my sister’s tear-streaked face. I can still see her broken body in my arms. I can still feel the way she clung to me as if clinging to life itself, and I was the only one who could save her before she drew her last breath. Every day, I remind myself of the vow I took because of her.

“When we get there, keep the car ready. We might need to move quickly. I don’t know what kind of backup he’ll have.”

Lev nods while Aleks taps something out on his phone as fast as his fingers can move.

I bet she’s scared. That bastard better not have said anything to hurt her. If he did, I’ll fucking break his jaw for that. See how easy it will be for him to insult her then.

“They’re getting ready to leave. Their car’s been pulled around to get them.”

Fuck.

“Got the car on our radar. We’re closing in.”

I hit the accelerator.

CHAPTER FOUR

Lydia

Our meal’s come to an end, and I’m starting to get nervous about Vera’s messages to me, but Timur seems in no rush like he was before. Instead, his moves seem almost… calculated. Planned.

The waiter brings us our check, and Timur pays.

“Listen, I need to speak to my sister right away. Can we go?”

“Of course.” He doesn't meet my eyes, and a muscle twitches in his jaw, but when I give him a second glance, he's all gentlemanly grace as he puts his hand on my lower back and leads me to his car. A valet brings it to the curb. He opens the door for me, and I slide into the passenger seat as he gets into the driver's seat.

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