Page 56 of Hers to Control

We follow Anton into the villa, where Gianna and Mikhail are already waiting for us in the same formal living room we sat in last time. Gianna’s face looks genuinely pleased when she gets up to greet us.

“Mia! It’s so good to see you. Are you okay?”

I nod, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as Eric hands Gianna the ultrasound picture. “Everything’s looking good so far,” he says, his voice tinged with pride.

Gianna takes the picture with an unreadable expression, staring at it for a moment. When she looks back up at Eric, she nods in a way that seems to communicate something more to him and, for a second, I feel jealous. Which is just dumb.

We settle into the comfortable furniture, the warmth of the crackling fire chasing away the last remnants of the chilly air outside. It feels like a déjà vu. It hasn’t been that long since we sat here to decide where I should hide next after the safe house fiasco when Eric found me back here in Toronto. It’s not particularly reassuring, since that last plan definitely went to hell faster than you can say ‘fuck my life’.

“Now tell me what the fuck you did,” Gianna orders Eric, and I realize that Mikhail and Eric, positioned on either side of me, are eying each other in a less-than-friendly manner. Talk about being in the middle of it.

“I got her out.” We all know that isn’t much of an explanation. I reach out for Eric’s hand. His fingers are tapping on his leg, and I know he’s dying to play with his knife, but that’s hardly a great idea right now. Not with Mikhail Tsepov looking like he’s ready to do the same.

“Tell them the rest. Gianna will understand.” I don’t know if Gianna will actually understand his reasons, or accept them for that matter, but I’m hoping my friend will get the message that I need her to at least try to understand. If she does, she’ll reign Mikhail in. Of that much, I’m sure.

When Gianna called me after kidnapping Mikhail and asked for my support, I was more than a little surprised, but it also cemented our friendship. It brought back a side of me that I need to find again. I’ve done things in my life Eric doesn’t know about, and the recent events have had me so spooked I’ve forgotten to rely on that past. Maybe instead of moving on, I’ve just been hiding from the things I had to do in my life that made me who I am today.

A past I have thanks to my father.

“Fine,” Eric says, “here’s what happened. After Mia was taken and I called you, I went to visit Anya Tsepov.”

Mikhail jumps up. “You did what? Are you fucking stupid?”

Eric gets up, too. “I protect what’s mine.”

When Gianna gives me a look, I just roll my eyes at his words. A month ago I would have kicked Eric’s ass for saying that, but now I place my hand on my slightly rounding belly and can’t help but enjoy the view of Eric standing up to Mikhail.

What is it about men going all alpha that makes my toes curl? It has got to be the pregnancy hormones, right? Only, I doubt there will ever be a day I look at Eric and not undress him in my mind. Not when I know how damn good he looks naked.

“Mia?” Gianna asks, her right eyebrow lifted. “Seriously?”

The way my usually dead-serious friend is looking at me with incredulity written all over her features makes me giggle. Actually giggle. A totally sane moment to finally see the amusing aspects of my current life.

I swallow, and, ignoring Eric and Mikhail, I speak to Gianna. “Eric did what he had to do to get me back, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Gianna’s expression softens as she considers my words, her gaze flickering between Eric and me. “I understand loyalty, Eric. But involving Anya Tsepov… that’s a dangerous game. We’ve considered using Anya as a distraction for their father before,though never in a way that would put her in any real danger. Take it from me that she didn’t appreciate the suggestion, which is why we didn’t turn to her this time. Anya Tsepov shouldn’t be underestimated, even if her own father is keeping her on a close leash for now.”

Eric’s jaw tightens, but he nods at Gianna in agreement. “I know. Trust me, it wasn’t my first choice. But Mia’s safety was my priority.”

Mikhail, still visibly agitated, stalks over to the window, his hands clenching into fists. “You may have saved Mia, but you’ve put us all at risk. Including my sister. If my father figures out she helped you. Fuck.”

I exchange a glance with Eric while Gianna exhales heavily. She shoots Mikhail a look that suggests he better take a seat, and a for a brief moment something like an amused smile flashes across his face. Right before it turns back to his usualI enjoy tortureexpression.

“It’s done now,” Gianna says. “The question is what we do next.”

Eric

“We need to find out who’s leaking Mia’s locations to the Russians,” Gianna declares when everyone is sitting around the low table again, her voice quiet but determined.

I nod in agreement, my mind already racing through the list of people I’ve been making ever since the Russians found Mia in the U.S. safe house. “Agreed.”

Gianna continues, her expression grim. “We have to be strategic. Let’s start by narrowing down the list of people who might have figured out Mia’s location and go from there.”

I keep my eyes on Mikhail, as I note the obvious. “It was only the four of us who knew Mia would be in the cabin. And only one of us has ties to the Bratva.” I’m done bullshitting around. Gianna might trust Mikhail, but this shit is too obvious not to be said out loud.

Gianna gets up, but Mikhail just smirks, seemingly unbothered by my accusation. “You think I let Mia go when my father wanted me to go after her, only to change my mind now? For what?”

“I don’t fucking know.” I hate admitting it, but I can’t make sense of the guy. He’s a psychopath, after all.

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