Page 17 of Defiant Devotion

“About finding Sonya, his niece who went missing eleven years ago.” Lev watched me closely.

What?“Oleg’sniece?” I asked as my heart beat faster.

“Yeah,” Vik said. “Eva’s older sister.”

Oh, fuck.

Lev narrowed his eyes, still watching me so intensely. I was damned good at masking my emotions, but the reason for my nagging feeling was revealed fully now. Lev was right to notice and be suspicious of the shocked expression I tried and failed to hide. Because it hit me like a punch in the gut.

Sonya.

It wasn’t just the mention of my one-night stand’s name that had her on my mind. Since the moment I saw Eva at the mansion,I’d struggled with how similar the women were. That was what nagged me.

And now, I knew why—because they bore a resemblance to each other assisters!

I hadn’t taken a sexy stranger’s virginity at that shitty bar upstate over three months ago.

I’d claimed a lost Mafia princess’s virginity.

Sonya Baranov was my one-night stand.

“So the sooner you do this hit for us…” Lev said evenly, jarring me out of my reverie.

I nodded, taking a step back and holding up my hand to cut him off. “Right. I heard you.” The news that I’d slept with a Mafia princess blew my mind. “Kill O’Malley. Then track down…”

“Sonya,” Lev said.

“It—” I cleared my throat, furrowing my brow as I let this news sink into my brain. “Uh, it’d be my pleasure.”

I didn’t need him to order me to find her.

I’d already been struggling with missing her, anyway.

7

SONYA

Just before dawn, I stared at the paper and hesitated at the sound.

Baby Damon stirred and made a noise from the bassinet, but Jenny and Kyle didn’t get up. Nonetheless, I waited another moment for the house to be quiet again.

Okay. All good.

Nothing wasgoodabout this. I felt terrible to pocket the four hundred dollars that I found stashed in this little lock box in a cabinet in the kitchen. I’d snooped for cash lying around and this was a decent start. The Petersons would have to make do without a truck I’d spotted out the window, too. Robbing these generous innocents wasn’t something I wanted to do, but I had to get out of here.

I’d run away before an Ilyin could track me here and hurt them for assisting me.

I’d flee before any other obstacles could stop me from getting home to Eva.

But first, I had to appease my conscience. Putting the tip of the pen to the paper, I sighed and wrote a simple promise.

Thank you for your help. I will not forget how selfless you’ve been with me when you found me at my lowest.

IOU

-S

It seemed like such a paltry message for the couple who’d saved me. I passed out hoping they’d take me in for a night, and they had, without expecting anything in return. Food, water, warmth, comfort. Jenny was a saint to have given me those things. Kyle, too, had given me the dream of having a husband and family for my own baby. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson would wake up mad that I’d taken their things, but as soon as I was home, they would be rewarded richly.

---