Page 100 of Dark Truths

…until it buzzes back beneath my touch, bringing a smile to spread across my face.

38

Dimitri

My senses return to me slowly, one by one. The gritty feel of sand beneath me, the smell of saltwater, and the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore.

“Sir?” A hand rests on my shoulder and shakes it lightly. “Sir? Are you okay?”

“Should we call an ambulance?”

“Maybe the police, too? That looks like a gunshot wound.”

My entire body hurts and feels heavy, even my eyelids. But I finally manage to open my eyes. I blink several times before I can focus on the concerned expressions of the group of people above me. My injured arm makes it difficult to sit up, but I gather enough strength, and ignore the offers to help from strangers.

I need to get out of here. Wherever here is because I’m not safe. Sergei will hunt me down and he won’t stop until he finds a body. The men he sent to kill me have been under my command for so long. How quickly loyalties shift. Not that I blame them. I’m sure Sergei painted me a villain. I wonder what Alexei thinksof me now and hope he wasn't among the men on the bridge. I hope not. I'm still not certain if he betrayed me, but if not, I'd love the chance to explain myself to him. Even if I never earn his forgiveness, he deserves the truth.

I climb to my feet, my balance wavering as I regain my equilibrium.

“Sir? We called an ambulance for you. Maybe you’d like to sit down on the bench over there?” one stranger suggests and gestures to a weathered wooden bench.

“No, I’m fine.” I choke. My throat is raw from my ordeal tonight and hurts to talk. “I need to go.”

“Wait, you need to be seen. You’re bleeding.”

The stranger’s protest falls on deaf ears as I shove him away, which causes me to stumble unsteadily for a few steps. But I quickly regain my balance and turn to the staircase that leads to the parking lot. My hands clutch the railing of the staircase tightly and by the time I reach the top, most of my senses have returned to me, along with my next steps.

Scanning the parking lot, I spy an older Jeep with no doors leaving it open to the world and free for the taking. I pull my knife free from my wet pants and make quick work of opening the compartment under the steering wheel to hot wire the vehicle.

My thoughts drift to Gabriella as I pull out of the lot. I want to go to her. But not yet. It’s too dangerous. Sergei knows my true identity, but I don't think he knows about Gabriella. And I need to keep it that way. I need to keep her safe. Keep our family safe.My phone’s shot to hell. It's soaked and useless now. It won’t even turn on. Still, I know it can be tracked, so I toss it out the side of the Jeep into the water as I drive past. Which also makes my necklace worthless too. Without my phone, it can’t connect to the app. Until I can get to the cabin and activate a new phone, that is, and even then, the necklace is wet and will needtime to dry out before I can attempt to use it. I just hope I can reach Gabriella before her appointment and before she hears the news of my treachery and assumed death.

By the time I make it to the cabin, my arm is throbbing and has bled through the dirty towel I found in the backseat. The house is dark when I enter and empty of threats. Still, I set the perimeter alarm to be safe because the last thing I need is a surprise when I’m not at one hundred percent.

I should take care of my arm first, but I grab a container of rice and bury my necklace in it, instead. Priorities.

After that I strip out of my wet clothes and step into the hot shower. The water feels wonderful on my chilled skin but causes my bullet wound to sting as it cleans away the dirt and saltwater. I'd love to linger in the shower but I need to stitch up this wound and then figure out my next steps.

I never realized how extremely difficult it is to stitch up a wound with just one hand, and since I’m no doctor, my sad attempt will surely result in a scar. But really, what’s one more scar in the grand scheme of things?

I pop a few pain pills before I head to my office to grab a new phone. As it loads, I take a seat and check the cameras. Before I know it, a wave of exhaustion falls over me. Resting my head on the chair’s back, I stare down at the spinning symbol on the phone’s screen and close my eyes.It was only meant to be for a moment while I wait for the phone to load, but when I open my eyes next, several hours have gone by and my perimeter alarm is going off.

An unmarked black SUV is making its way down my driveway. I recognize it and curse under my breath. I tuck a pistol into the waist of my pants, and rush out of the room to meet my unexpected guests. Slipping outside, I tuck myself into a dark corner of the porch and watch the car’s lights break the tree line before it parks in the circular drive.

A familiar face exits the vehicle. It’s Jacob, and I don’t care for the troubled expression on his face. His reason why exits the car next.

Ford.

The man has aged more in the years I’ve been gone, but I’ll never forget a face. Especially his.

Fury fills me. I don't care if it's the President, Jacob knows better than to bring anyone to this cabin.

“The hell kind of back hole hideout is this?” Ford asks, disdain clear in his voice. “This is his safe house?”

Jacob scans the treeline, his eyes casually sliding across the canopy. He thinks I’m up there. Had there been more time, I would be.

“I really shouldn’t have brought you here, Ford.”

Ford waves off his concern. “It doesn’t matter. His fucking cover is blown anyhow. Nowhere is safe for him.”

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