Page 59 of Sexting the Silverfox

I hear footsteps outside, most likely Arkady’s men watching my door. They exchange words in muffled Russian.

The floor creaks under my feet, so I move as little as possible. I don’t want to draw anyone’s attention, not even for a second. I struggle to wrap my head around what just happened, wondering what’s coming next.

I don’t know much about Arkady’s plans. He wasn’t that talkative after we left the hotel. I’ve been on my own for the past couple of hours, sitting here in tomblike silence, shaking like a leaf, and praying to all the gods to keep my baby and me safe. This unborn child of mine deserves better.

I keep thinking of Jason. I wonder where he is and what he’s doing. Is he safe? Are Lily and Rita safe? Is he looking for me? I hope he sent them away like he said he would. They need to be as far away from Chicago as possible until this storm passes.

I’m not sure when that will be, however. The game that Arkady and my father are playing is a dangerous one, and I doubt it will end cleanly. Someone has to lose, and when the victor is announced, the streets of Chicago will be bloody either way.

Whether it’s Arkady’s or my father’s blood remains to be seen.

I just want to get as far away from this hot mess as possible. I miss my kids, my job, my life before it all went tits up. I had a semblance of peace and a promise of love and happiness dangled in front of me like a carrot on a stick.

My mind is plagued with horrible scenarios and grim possibilities. I keep trying to find something better to think about, something good to hold on to. Every time I’m tempted to curl up in a ball and cry myself into a never-ending sleep, I remind myself of the life that is growing in my belly, this innocent soul who deserves a brighter start than anything I or my brothers had.

Suddenly, I’m startled by the sound of approaching footsteps. They are heavy and determined. The door is unlocked and swings open and a river of light suddenly pours into the room from the hallway.

“Arkady,” my lips move in a timid whisper. “What do you want?”

The smell of freshly brewed coffee hits my nose, and I start to think my thoughts have turned into hallucinations. I was just thinking about coffee, wasn’t I?

“It’s decaf,” Arkady holds the paper cup up for me to see. “I wouldn’t want to hurt your baby just yet.”

“Just yet?” I mutter.

“Ideally never, but your father can be a stubborn, ill-tempered mule. I’m not a fan of violence against women, Audrey,” he says. “If push comes to shove, however …”

“That’s very reassuring,” I try to add sarcasm to my voice to mask the fear.

He chuckles as he walks across the room, leaving the cup on the table next to me. “Sorry for the absence of lighting,” Arkady says. “The wiring in this place is a mess. This whole building is scheduled to come down sometime next month, so everything has been cut off. Lighting, running water, gas, all of it.”

“I hope I’m out of here long before that happens.”

“Believe me, Audrey, I don’t want you to be here for that, either.”

“Then what exactly do you want?”

Arkady takes a deep breath, then pulls up a chair so he can sit in front of me, leaving about five feet of space between us.

“It’s all about power, Audrey. Power and influence,” he says. “My forefathers were fools to leave New York in the first place. I’m just taking back what was always ours.”

“So, all of this is about territory?”

“The minute you disappeared from the family, I knew something was off. My men in New York told me about the rumors, about Piotr’s bounty on your head, about how your brothers were scrambling to find you before Grigori could,” Arkady says. “That told me plenty about your daddy dearest, Audrey. A man who cannot control his own family can hardly control an entire Bratva. I’m like a shark in the water, and I caught the scent of blood.”

“How did you track me down?”

“I didn’t,” he laughs. “That’s the beauty of this entire moment. I didn’t track you down. A former Fedorov enforcer saw you and followed you back to The Emerald Residence. Then he came running to my office, hoping he’d earned himself a favor with me. He wouldn’t tell me why he’d moved to Chicago in the first place but putting two and two together was a no-brainer for me. So, I put a bullet in his head instead, then planned my operation carefully around you.”

“Why kill him if he gave you my whereabouts?”

Arkady stares at me for a long, uncomfortable moment. “I don’t condone treachery, Audrey, even if it serves me in the end. That man was quick to sell you out after having sworn to your brothers and father that he would forever be loyal to the Fedorov Bratva. Yet he walked into my office and sang like a fucking canary. I can’t trust someone like that.”

I shiver but deep down, I understand his way of thinking.

“I don’t know how well you planned that operation of yours, though,” I add, glancing over his shoulder. I see two men flanking the doorway, and I’m guessing there are more stationed all over the building. “You didn’t exactly catch me the first time. You didn’t kill me the second time, either.”

“I never planned on killing you,” Arkady says. “But I’ll tell you what I told your boyfriend—that hotel ruckus, that wasn’t me.”

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