Page 51 of Savage Surrender

I scoffed. “What? You think the Ilyins are going to come after me now?”

“I don’t see why they wouldn’t now.”

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the hallway. The doors to the lecture hall were right there. I was due to start class in a minute. I’d see Irina in there. But Rurik seemed to think I had to worry about my life, not that my cover could be blown.

I felt lousy. If what Rurik said was true, word could reach Irina. And I’d just had this weekend to come clean and really talk to her, to expose myself in order to ask her what Igor was up to. But I hadn’t. Guilt hit me that I hadn’t been open and taken a risk on how she felt about me, that she could genuinely feel about me to the same depth that I did about her.

Confused, I tried to understand how I’d gotten to this point. “How did word get out that I was with her at all?” We hadn’t done anything publicly. Jessica had interrupted us in my office, but she wasn’t affiliated with anyone in the Mafia to spread word.

“Someone saw you at the whorehouse. With her.”

“Fuck.” I ran my hand down my face, more pissed at myself than anything else. I’d taken her in the back way to collect that package I had to deliver, which I did. When I saw how excited she looked from watching the monitors, though, I didn’t pay attention to leaving the way we’d entered. I’d held her hand as I walked her through the foyer of the whorehouse. And anyonein the city could’ve been there waiting to get in a room. Even a soldier from a rival family.

“Fuck!” I repeated before grinding my teeth hard.

“Yeah, fuck is right,” he agreed, so worried as he watched me nearly explode with anger. “The only silver lining is that no one seems to know you’re, well, you.”

I stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to elaborate.

“No one seems to realize you’re a Baranov. Just a man from here.”

Nodding, I tried to calm down with that news. That was good. That helped. Because if Igor or the Ilyins knew a rival family member had interfered with a potential arranged engagement, I’d be well and truly fucked. Oleg would hear about it. And I would most definitely have a target on my back.

“Do you think…” I winced, unable to finish my question.

“What?” Rurik asked as the last students in the hall shuffled into the lecture room for the class I was supposed to start in seconds.

“Does Igor know?”

He nodded. “I assume. Gossip spreads that fast, man.”

The fucker could hurt her for this. He could retaliate onher.

“I’ll handle this.”

The only plan that formed in my mind was reaching her and protecting her from any fallout from our getting together like we had.

“Let me help,” he insisted. “I’m here to help.”

I nodded, shuffling to the side to hurry into the big room where she should be waiting for class to start. “I’ll get ahold of you. I have to get to her first.”

Leaving Rurik in the hallway, I strode into the cavernous auditorium. My dress shoes clacked on the floor with my fast gait, and the sound echoed. No one spoke. I’d trained them that well to shut the fuck up so I could do my thing.

The second I reached the podium, I scanned the sea of faces peering at me. Methodically roving my gaze over row after row of students waiting for me to start this lecture, I fought the panic that rose inside me.

She’s not here.

Irina’s face wasn’t in the crowd.

She hadn’t come to class.

When she missed it before or showed up late, I was curious and worried. Today, after what Rurik said, I was downright concerned.

Scared, even.

Without any preamble, I cleared my throat then announced, “Class is canceled.” I didn’t wait for a reaction. I didn’t linger to offer an explanation or reason. Before the mob of students could delay me in getting out of here, I turned on my heel and left.

I have to find her. Now.

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