Page 44 of Dangerous Devotion

Iset clicked on it, and we both leaned in closer. It was a cryptic message, mentioning a “cleaning service” and a substantial payment.

“That has to be it,” I whispered. “But who’s it from?”

Iset was about to dig deeper when a twig snapped behind us. We both whirled around, and my heart raced.

There, standing just a few feet away, was Ivan Zotov. His face was unreadable as he looked from us to the laptop screen and back.

“Ladies,” he said smoothly, “I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” Zotov’s eyes narrowed, his gaze flickingbetween us and the screen.

How long had he been standing there? And how much had he heard?

Iset blocked his view with her body, and I closed the lid of her laptop in slo-mo.

“Mr. Zotov,” she purred, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “What a surprise to see you out here alone. Is this your yard time? And are you enjoying the scenery?” She scanned our surroundings. “Or is this your personal re-enactment of prison break?” She paused.

I looked around and realized, for the first time, that none of Vince’s men were around. I didn’t consciously ditch them. So how did that happen?

“To be honest, if I were in your shoes, I would make a run for it. My brother’s not known for his good manners, or giving second chances.”

My heart pounded as I watched Isabella and Zotov face off. The air crackled with tension, and I found myself holding my breath.

Zotov chuckled. “Indeed, he’s not. However, I find the company far too intriguing to just run. What brings you two lovely ladies out to such a secluded spot? Sharing secrets?”

I tried to keep my face neutral, but I could feel sweat beading on my forehead and a flush creeping up my neck.

Iset, however—because Isa was channeling her badass persona completely—didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, you know how it is,” she said, waving her hand dismissively, “wedding talk can get a bit overwhelming. We needed a breather.”

Zotov took a step closer, his body language screaming suspicion. “Is that so? And does wedding planning typically involve such intense focus on a computer screen?”

I tensed, ready to jump in with an excuse, but Iset beat me to it.

“We were looking at dress options,” she lied smoothly and handed me her laptop, which I pressed against my chest.

“The devil’s in the details,” she said. “And we can’t have the bride wearing just anything, can we?”

Zotov’s lips curled into a smirk as he dragged his gaze from the laptop in my hands back to Iset. “Of course not. Though, I must say, I’m surprised to see you so involved in the planning, Isabella.” He paused, and his jaw tensed for a nanosecond before he relaxed his face again. “I wasn’t aware you and your soon-to-be sister-in-law were so…close.”

The implication in his voice was clear. He didn’t believe a single word we were saying. But there was also something odd in the way he pronounced her name, and his tensing afterwards.

Isa’s eyes hardened, though her smile remained fixed in place. “Family is everything, Mr. Zotov. Surely you understand that?”

Before Zotov could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

“What’s going on here?”

I turned.

Vince and two of his men were striding toward us, his face a mask of controlled anger.

Relief washed over me, quickly followed by a new wave ofanxiety. What would he think of us being out here with Zotov?

He narrowed his eyes and looked from the laptop in my arms to me, then to Isabella, and finally on Zotov. “You should’ve made a run for it,” he growled, then nodded at his men, who both stepped up to Zotov.

Zotov gave Vince a lopsided grin and lifted his hands. “I rather enjoy your hospitality,” he said to Vince, then bowed in Isa’s and my direction before he marched, flanked by Vince’s men, toward the house.

Vince stared after them for a second before he turned back to me. “Whose laptop is that?” He narrowed his brows and stared at me.

“Mine,” Isabella said and took it from my hands.

---