Page 57 of Crown of Hate

I blush. “What can I say? I have a wealthy husband.”

“A wealthy husband you were dead set against marrying,” she jokes. “I bet you’ve fallen head over heels for him now, haven’t you?”

“What do you think?” I retort, unable to keep the smile from my face.

She gives me a knowing grin. “I think you need to park that designer-clad behind of yours down and spill every juicy detail. And I mean every single one.” Her gaze floats to Dimitri and Igor. “Who are these two mountains of muscle?”

“My bodyguards.” I chuckle. “Mikhail insists I can’t go anywhere without them now. Crazy, right?”

“Sounds like he’s gone full papa bear on you.” She loops her arms through mine, leading me towards the shelter. “Handsome, loaded, badass, and protective. Honey, you’ve hit the jackpot.”

We’re both giggling like schoolgirls as we head inside with my personal hulking shadows trailing behind us. The normalcy of the moment—just two friends catching up—feels like a breath of fresh air.

But as we reach the door, two men approach the shelter. One of them hits my shoulder as he passes.

“My bad,” he mutters before I can unleash my inner bitch on him.

“Whatever.” I brush it off, but something about the encounter niggles at the back of my mind. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m missing something important.

The men disappear as quickly as they arrived, not even sparing a glance at the adorable pups begging for attention.

“Weirdos,” Sophia mutters after they leave. “I wonder why they keep doing that shit.”

My eyes widen on her. “Wait, what? This isn’t the first time?”

“Nope. They’ve been showing up almost every day for the past two weeks. Never say a word to anybody, just lurk for a bit and then vanish.” She pauses, her brow furrowing. “Hey, what’s that sticking out of your pocket?”

“What is wh—” I start to ask, but then I see it. A small slip of paper, barely visible, peeking out from my pocket. “Where did that come from?”

I scan the area and spot two more men in black suits, their eyes boring into me. With trembling fingers, I unfold the note.

Enter the black Mercedes parked outside. Raise an alarm and your friend will be the first to die.

At the bottom of the note, Akim’s stamp stands out, a twisted signature that seals the threat.

My blood curdles. I look around frantically for any sign of a threat. Any sign of a gun barrel peeking out from the surrounding buildings, but there are too many tall structures—it could be anywhere. And Akim doesn’t bluff. Underestimating that snake would be suicidal.

Sophia’s gentle touch on my arm nearly makes me jump out of my skin. “Babe, you look as pale as a ghost right now. Are you okay?”

I plaster on a smile and try not to show the panic flaring inside me. “I’m fine. I just… need to use the restroom. Be right back.”

Dimitri and Igor immediately fall into step behind me.

I whirl around, giving them my meanest glare. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“With you,” Igor answers matter-of-factly. “Chief told us to keep you safe.”

“And what exactly are you saving me from in the ladies’ room? The paper towels? An aggressive hand dryer?” I snap, instantly regretting my harshness. But I don’t have a choice—Sophia’s life is on the line. “I need to pee, and I don’t want an audience. Got it?”

They glance at each other and nod, a secret bodyguard signal or something passing between them.

“We’ll be waiting right here,” Dimitri concedes.

“Thank you.” I almost trip as I hurry inside and make a beeline for the emergency exit at the back of the building. Sure enough, just as Akim wrote in the note, there’s a black Mercedes waiting for me outside, flanked by three other vehicles, all with dark tinted windows. It’s impossible to see who’s inside any of them.

As I approach the car, my heart threatens to burst from my chest. All I can think of is Mikhail. What have I gotten myself into? What if something happens to me? He’ll be devastated. He’ll blame himself for it and never forgive himself for letting me out of his sight.

It’s not until I get to the car that I realize how stupid my decision was. But Sophia’s safety comes first. Dimitri and Igor might be stone-cold killers, but if Akim has more men around, they won’t stand a chance.

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