Page 65 of Savage Surrender

Other soldiers had barged in, ready to fight and retrieve the young teen.

“But it looks as though he was there recently. They found clothes, food wrappers, ashes.”

I jerked my face up, alarmed. “Ashes?”

“Cigarettes. From the guard. We’re checking surveillance in the area. We’re not stopping yet.” He frowned. “Did you talk to Oleg?”

“Yes.” I cringed. “He’s hesitant to remove the boy from wherever he’s being held.” I had yet to tell Irina. I didn’t want to. It would sound as though Oleg wasn’t committing to rescuing Maxim. He sounded open to it all, but he’d compromised. His order was to locate Maxim, stand by, and intervene if clear and present danger faced the teenager. But not to remove him until further notice. He was taking this development one step at a time, but that probably wouldn’t satisfy Irina. If I were in her shoes, I would feel the same.

Lev nodded. “Correct.” He’d received the same information.

“Just please, keep looking.” I couldn’t handle it if something happened to him. I’d never met the kid, but I already knew how much he meant to the woman I loved.

He agreed that he would.

As soon as I lowered my phone, Rurik checked in via text.

Rurik:You didn’t put in a notice to quit, did you?

“What the hell?” I whispered.

Viktor:At the school? No. Not yet.

That was the least of my worries. I didn’t give a shit about my cover. I’d only taken that role to get close to Irina, and now that I had, that cover could just disintegrate now.

Rurik:Because it seems that people are preparing to go through it.

Viktor:People?

Rurik:Someone from the dean’s office? I couldn’t tell. I was following one of the Ilyin dealers and overheard some office staff talking about your office.

I pounded my fist on my knee. “Dammit.” I bet it had something to do with Jessica. That woman didn’t know when to stop meddling. If I was in trouble for canceling the class this morning, oh, well. But that seemed too fast.

Maybe it’s something else.

Maybe someone on campus knew who I was all along.

Viktor:I’ll check it out.

I exited my room, finding Irina alone again. Eva had come by and kept her company for a while, and I was mildly curious whether she had gotten any information out of her. I doubted it. Irina seemed ready to stay quiet and keep her secrets to herself until we could bring Maxim to her. That was… a work in progress, but I didn’t see any reason to worry her yet. I didn’t want to tell her that Oleg was kind of working with us but being cautious. As soon as someone on Lev’s team located Maxim, I’d tell her. Then she could swap information with Oleg.

“I need to check something on campus, at my office.”

She smirked. “Youroffice?” She stood, coming to stand with me. “Are you even qualified to teach?”

I shrugged. “More or less.”

She huffed a weak laugh.

“I don’t want to let you out of my sight,” I added. “So, let’s go and get this over with.”

“I don’t think you have to hover and worry that I’m going to run now.”

I pulled her close before she could walk past me to get her coat. Pushing her against the wall, I shoved my body against hers and kissed her deeply. “The only hovering I intend to do with you is in bed, when I’m on top of you and ready to fuck you hard.”

Her breath hitched as she stared at me. I saw that spark of excitement in her eyes again, and I knew she was still there, the sassy woman I had gotten to know and love beneath the stress and fear that had been taking over her all day.

“I don’t want you out of my sight in case some Ilyin fucker still thinks that you’re marrying into their family.” I kissed her again, excited when she lifted her hand to grip the back of my head.

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