Page 81 of Endless Love

“Dari,” I speak quickly, glancing back into the house to make sure that Charlotte isn’t up yet. “It’s Ivan. I need you to do something for me.”

He sounds gruff, a little sleepy. “What is it, Ivan? Anything?”

“I need you to find out which of the next shipments of women my father will personally be at. Me, Niki, Ani, Lev, we’re all out. They’re trying to catch me, I’m on the run. You know that, right?”

There’s a sound like him scratching the stubble on his chin. “Da. I know that. I’m only speaking with you now because we were such close friends.”

“And you hate what my father has been doing as much as I do, right? You told me before that you think this is bullshit.”

“Da,”he agrees. “Drugs, guns, those are one thing. Women are another. It’s not right.”

“Exactly. If you can get the exact date and time of the next shipment that my father will personally oversee, and if you canmake surethat he’s there, whatever it takes, I’ll pay you ten million. Wired to an account as soon as I’m sure he’ll be there.”

“Ten—Ivan, what’s going on?”

I take a deep breath. At this point, I reason, telling Dari the truth about what I’ve been doing doesn’t afford any risk. He doesn’t know where I am, and I’m using a burner. More than likely, my father has already figured out that I was informing for the FBI. “I was working to take him down,” I admit. “I had to cut out before I could finish the job. But if you can get that for me, and if you can makesurehe’s there, the FBI will get him. And if I can give Dima Kariyev to them, directly, I’ll be able to ask for whatever I want.”

“Shit.” Dari sounds uncertain. “The fucking FBI,brat? What happens to me, if I get him there? They take me in, too? I’ve got no desire to go to prison.”

“No. Amnesty for us both, for working with them. For getting Dima into their hands. I’ll make sure of it for you, too. And with my father done, and Lev as well, we can pick up the pieces.” I take a slow breath, considering. “I’ll be the only Kariyev left. The otherpakhanswill want to challenge me, if I take it. They’d want to challenge anyone other than one of my brothers who did. But I don’t want it. If you do, my father’s empire, it’s yours. I’ll sign everything over to you, so long as I get to keep my own moneyI’ve accumulated. You can run it all, so long as you want the headaches that go along with it.”

“You don’t want to bepakhan?” There’s still that doubt in Dari’s voice.

“No,” I tell him firmly. “Absolutely not. I want out. It’s what I’ve always wanted. But I’ll give you whateveryouwant, if you help me with this.”

Dari takes a slow breath. For a moment, I think he’s going to tell me no. And if he does, the only card I have left is the one I really, really don’t want to follow through on.

But I will if I have to. For Charlotte.

“Aright,” he says, finally. “For your father, I want the ten million. Amnesty. And you sign over his businesses when they’re in your name. I get the title ofpakhan. Full authority. You have no more input.”

“Done.” I agree without hesitation. “Call me back with the information. Just as soon as you have it. I’m counting on you. How long?”

“End of the day,” Dari says. “Tomorrow morning at the latest.”

“Good. Thank you,brat. This means more than you know.”

When I hang up, Charlotte still isn’t awake. I glance around to make sure, and then make the second call.

This one is to Bradley.

“Hello?” He sounds pissed off when he answers. I don’t bother beating around the bush with him, or with pleasantries.

“It’s Ivan Kariyev. I have a deal for you.”

There’s a long pause, one that stretches out far enough that I almost think he might have hung up. “Go on,” he says finally, and it’s clear from his tone that he’s placating me.

“I’ll turn myself in,” I say flatly. “If you keep Charlotte safe. You can do whatever you want with me. I’ll accept full responsibility for all of it. But nothing happens to her. Nocharges, no plea deals, no consequences whatsoever. And you get her a restraining order against Nate. He doesn’t get to go near her.” I pause for a moment, letting it sink in. “You know as well as I do that he’ll take his anger out on her as soon as he can get his hands on her again.”

Bradley is quiet again for a long moment. “That’s a big ask,” he says finally.

“No, it’s not. Bring your boss along. I bet you get a raise for bringing me in. It’ll be a big one for you. I’ll go along with whatever you wanna slap on me. Just keep her out of it.”

I have to force myself not to hold my breath. Bradley’s boss being there is a big part of it. I need that, or the plan doesn’t work. I can’t really be sure that hewillbe there, but I have a feeling Bradley is susceptible to leading suggestions.

“Fine,” Bradley says. “Deal. But no funny business, alright?”

“No funny business,” I agree. “Meet me in the Tijuana River Valley, tomorrow at noon. I’ll bring Charlotte to you, and you can take me in. We both get what we want.”

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