Page 131 of Emerald Vices

“I… don’t know. He’s….” His breath catches. “He’s gone.”

55

ANDREY

“She left?” I storm into Annie’s room, waving the note Natalia left on her pillow for me. “She fucking left?!”

Annie just sighs. “What did you expect her to do? She told you she needed space.”

“I thought she’d move into another room. Or the pool house, even. I didn’t think she’d disappear and take the kids with her.”

Annie looks at me over the rim of her glasses. “The only thing she’s concerned about right now is keeping her children safe. As far as she’s concerned, that means keeping them as far from your world as possible.”

My fists unfurl as I drop into the chair next to Annie’s bed. “Fuck!” I bellow, spewing out a fraction of my pent-up frustration. “What do I do now?” I finally release the crumpled letter, letting it float to the floor like the last withered leaf of autumn.

“You could try giving her what she wants,” Annie suggests softly. “Misha and Remi are with her—they’d never let anything happen to her. Not to mention the security detail she took. She’ll be fine.”

I glance out the window and the lawn looks painfully empty. Misha would be out on a morning walk with Remi by now. It’s a nice morning, so Natalie might’ve taken the twins out to the grass, spread a blanket beneath a shade tree.

But there’s no teenager running around with a ball. No dog barking. No sounds of chatter or laughter or infants crying.

I inhale sharply and let it out slowly, trying to soothe the restlessness in my bones. It doesn’t do a damn bit of good.

Nothing does, and I’d know—I’ve tried it all.

Screaming at the ceiling. Pacing the empty hallways. Hefting around the weight of my useless phone in my pocket, trying to pretend there’s a chance Natalia might change her mind and call me to come pick her up.

When my willpower snaps, I pull my phone from my pocket, except… it won’t turn on.

I jog to the kitchen for a charger. Maybe Natalia did call. Maybe she wants me to come pick her up, but my stupid phone was dead.

I jostle from foot to foot, waiting for the screen to light up. Before it does, Shura strolls into the kitchen. “I heard Mila’s out of the hospital. Is she around?”

“She’s with Leonty.” It’s good news, but I wave him off, smashing the home button on my phone. “My fucking phone died.”

“You expecting an important call or something?”

I shoot him a glare. “Natalia could have tried to call. I don’t even know how long it’s been dead.”

When was the last time I used it? I’ve barely touched it since last night. Did she try to text me? Did she want to talk, but I missed it? Is that why she left?

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Shura offers.

But I don’t hear a word as my phone lights up, and… Fuck. Seventeen missed calls.

None of them are from Natalia, but Leif called. And called. And called. The last one was only six minutes ago.

“What is it?” Shura leans closer. “Is everything okay?”

I’m about to call Leif back when my phone buzzes with a text.

LEIF: attacked 8&##s inju8r#ed

“PRYGAT!” I roar, resisting the urge to fling my phone across the kitchen.

Instead, I fling it at Shura. A second after reading it, his eyes zip to mine. “We have to move fast.”

I’m already halfway out the door.

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