Page 88 of Her Silver Fox Mountain Men

“Yeah, I do know what that means. I also know that Igor has no clue what honor is. Honor is everything in the Bratva.”

“And here I thought it was all about the power,” I mutter.

Kara gives me a dry smirk. “Of course, it’s about the power. But power is nothing without honor. They go hand in hand. A man’s word is his bond, and when a man steals from his own father, then kills innocent people to cover up the crime, honor dies in each of those decisions, decisions that Igor has made leading up to this point.”

I’ve got the earpiece turned off in my jacket pocket. I know it has a GPS tracker, and I don’t want James and the guys to catch up with us before I get the evidence out of the safety deposit box.

I keep thinking about them, knowing how worried they must be that I bolted the way I did. But I swear I will make it up to them.

Perhaps Igor rotting in a jail cell will be enough.

31

Elise

Piotr finds a nice spot behind a commercial dumpster down a side alley to park the car. I pull my hood over my head as Kara and I get out and follow Dmitri to the bank. Piotr covers our backs, both of them keeping one hand on their discreetly holstered weapons.

My heart beats faster with every step that brings us closer to the main street. Reaching the bank’s front door without getting noticed will be our first challenge.

“I’ll go first,” Dmitri says. “I’ll scan the area and let you know if it’s safe.”

“Got it,” Kara says and nods in agreement.

We wait just around the corner. I hold my breath and watch Dmitri go ahead.

“Is there a special protocol to go through to get to your safety deposit box?” Kara asks me.

I nod once. “It’s nothing fancy. I just give the bank manager some information, answer a couple of security questions, thenthey give me the key. That should be it.”

“So, what, five minutes, tops?”

“Hopefully, yeah.”

A whistle draws our focus back to Dmitri. He’s at the top of the front steps, hands in his black coat pockets.

“Let’s go,” Kara whispers.

Piotr stays a couple of feet behind, constantly surveying both sides of the street. The adrenaline rush has me looking every which way, but unlike Piotr and Dmitri, I am nowhere near as seasoned with regards to Igor’s tactical maneuvers.

“Hi there,” a clerk says, coming over to greet us as we walk into the bank. “Welcome to Rustic Union. How can I help you today?” He’s young and friendly, in his early twenties, cleanshaven with big brown eyes.

“Hi. I’m Elise Morris. I have a safety deposit box here and I’d like to access it,” I reply with a warm smile. “I think I’m supposed to see the bank manager first.”

“Yes, indeed,” he says. “Give me a second, I’ll bring her right over. Have a form of ID ready in the meantime, please.”

“Sure,” I mumble and fish through my coat’s inner pockets until I locate my wallet.

“Hello, Miss Morris,” the bank manager says, offering to shake my hand as he approaches.

I take it and instantly regret it because it’s warm and clammy. “Hi. I’m here to access my safety deposit box.”

“Sure, right this way,” the manager says, carefully eyeing Kara.

She sticks to my side like glue while Dmitri and Piotr get in line, pretending they’re customers while they continuously scan the lobby and outside area. I’m nervous as hell and worried out of my mind. I just need to get to my safety deposit box.

“Will the lady be joining us?” the bank manager asks.

Kara nods at him. “I will be joining you, yes.”

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