Page 55 of Shatter Me

“North entrance secured,” Nikolai reports.

I signal my team forward. The hallway opens to Katarina’s private foyer. The door gives way under Viktor’s precise kick.

She’s at her desk, phone dropping as we enter. To her credit, she doesn’t scream—just rises slowly, eyes darting between us.

“Ms. Lebedev,” I say smoothly. “You’ll be coming with us.”

Ivan secures her hands while Viktor sweeps the apartment. Within minutes, we’re descending in the service elevator, target acquired.

The van doors slide open. We’re gone before anyone realizes what happened.

The van moves smoothly through traffic, our prize secured between Viktor and Ivan. Katarina sits with remarkable poise for someone who’s just been kidnapped. Her chin tilts up, defiant even in restraints.

“Father will kill you all for this,” she says in perfect Russian.

Nikolai’s lips twitch. “Your father’s too busy burning our warehouses to notice you’re gone yet.”

I study her calculated responses and how she catalogs our faces. She’s been trained well—gathering intel even as a captive.

The safe house appears ahead—a nondescript brownstone that Erik prepared. As we file inside, Alexi is at the computers, fingers flying across keyboards.

“Perimeter secure,” he mutters without looking up. “No tails.”

Erik emerges from the back room, and there’s a pause in his stride when he sees Katarina. His expression doesn’t change, but I know my brother. The way his eyes track her movement, how his hands flex slightly at his sides—she’s exactly his type.

“Secure her,” I order, watching as Erik guides her to a chair with more gentleness than strictly necessary. His fingers brush her shoulders as he binds her wrists, and she stiffens at his touch.

“Careful with the merchandise,” Nikolai drawls, catching the same subtle signs I did. “We need her intact for leverage.”

Erik steps back, but his eyes linger on the curve of her neck, the way her blonde hair falls over one shoulder. I hide my amusement. My warrior of a brother is finally showing interest in something besides weapons and tactical plans.

“I’m not merchandise,” Katarina snaps, testing her bonds. “And if you think?—”

“Save your breath,” I interrupt. “You’ll be our guest until your father learns to play nice.”

But Erik has positioned himself where he can watch her, his usual stoic mask slipping just enough that even Alexi notices, shooting me a knowing look over his screens.

I lean against the wall, watching Erik’s failed attempts at subtlety. His eyes haven’t left Katarina since we brought her in, tracking her every small movement like a predator zeroing in on prey.

“Need anything else with the prisoner, Erik?” Alexi’s smirk grows wider. “Maybe you’d like to personally handle her interrogation?”

Erik’s jaw tightens. “Someone needs to keep watch.”

“I’m sure you’ll keep a very close watch,” Nikolai chimes in as we file out of the room. “Especially on certain... assets.”

In the hallway, Alexi clutches his chest dramatically. “Our stone-cold brother, finally showing some warmth. Did you see how gentle he was with those restraints?”

“Like he was handling fine China,” I agree, grateful the spotlight has shifted from my own romantic entanglements for once.

“Ten bucks says he volunteers for every guard shift,” Viktor rumbles, lighting a cigarette.

“Twenty says he finds excuses to adjust her restraints at least three times tonight,” Alexi counters.

Nikolai shakes his head. “You’re all terrible. But put me down for fifty on him bringing her dinner personally.”

Through the door, we can see Erik’s usual military stance giving way to something slightly too attentive.

“Should we remind him she’s leverage, not a potential date?” Alexi grins.

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