Page 44 of Dark Embers

I see my mother gives us a weird look before I continue. “I was in bed and Elena was sleeping with me when I saw the silent alarm button flash before I heard someone in the apartment. I did exactly what Sam and Uncle Nik trained us to do. I switched the button off, hit the panic button, grabbed Elena and hid in the panic space.” I glance at Oleksi who's just washed his hands in the sink so he can help Elena with her teether, and the sight is doing strange things to my system.

“Good, that's good.” My mother looks relieved then turns to Oleksi. “How were you involved in this?”

“Sam is out of town and called me to go check on Sabrina when the silent alarm was triggered and went through to his phone,” Oleksi explains as he gently bounces a happy Elena who I know is only eight months but I could swear she gave me a smug little look all cozy in Oleksi’s arms.

“Why didn’t he call us?” my mother says, offended.

“He needed my particular manpower.” Oleksi ruffled her feathers as easily as he just charmed my little girl and I feel my hackles rising—he really is integrating himself into my life and I’m not sure what to make of it. “When we got there the men were still in Sabrina’s apartment. We have them for interrogation and I’m waiting for Sam’s direction.”

That’s a fucking lie. I heard him tell his team to take them to Gunther and Syd gleefully tell them just who Gunther was. Fuck, even I know who the man is and I’ve also seen the huge scary brute. Interrogation my fucking eye—more like torturing the information from them.

“So you don’t know who they are or what they were after?” my mother asks. “Are they American Russians or…”

I see fear and panic flash in my mother’s blue eyes and frown.Does she know something about the men after Tara?I tilt my head slightly, chewing the side of my mouth thoughtfully.Is my mother keeping something from me about Tara?

“No, they were from Russia,” Oleksi tells her.

“Are you sure?” My mother has a strange wobble in her voice as she addresses Oleksi. “Sure they were from Russia? And they weren’t your men?”

“No, I promise I’ve never seen them before,” he answers quickly. “They weren’t American Russians. They had heavy accents and I would guess they were fresh off the boat from Russia.”

The gasp that echoes from my mother’s lips has my head snap back to her—and that’s when I see it.

The flicker in her eyes. The sharp intake of breath. The sudden paling of her skin as fear darkens her features then she sways.

“Mom!” I reach for her, steadying her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she says too quickly, pulling herself upright with a mask I’ve seen her wear before—one that hides everything.

“I’m not sure about the woman though,” Oleksi continues and my mother’s brow shoots up again.

“There was a woman?” Her eyes fly back to mine. “What woman?”

“You fucking snitch,” I hiss at Oleksi. “Did you tell Sam about the woman as well?”

“I had to tell him,” Oleksi replies, not the least bit apologetic. “I promised him I would.”

“Sam confirmed everything Oleksi just said,” Mark says grimly as he returns to where we’re all standing near the living room. His features are grim as he looks at my mom. “Carla, maybe we shouldn’t go.” He steps around my mother to reclaim Elena from a reluctant Oleksi. The scene pulls on my heartstrings but I don’t have time to ponder on it as Mark's words sink in.

“Go?” I echo, eyes darting around the room until I finally see the packed bags stacked by the door. “Where are you going?” I turn back to my mother, stunned.

“I left you a message,” my mom says carefully. “You said you needed time to figure things out while you’re unemployed. So I thought you wouldn’t be needing as much help with Elenaso Mark and I are taking up Galena and Nikolas’s invitation to go on a tropical cruise with them for a couple of weeks.”

“Oh, is that why you put in for a four-week vacation?” Oleksi chimes in casually.

“Four weeks?” I splutter. “Jesus, Mom, thanks for the heads-up.”

“It happened so fast, sweetheart,” my mother explains. “We weren’t going to go, then you told us you were no longer working at the Golden Lights and taking some time with Elena…”

“So your mother and I decided to join Galena and Nikolas on his yacht,” Mark finishes for her. “But we’re going to miss our little princess.” His voice becomes gooey and he tickles a delighted Elena.

“So you decided to sneak off in the middle of the night?”

“No, we have to get to the airport by 3:30 because Galina has her private jet waiting for us,” my mother tells me excitedly. “I haven't traveled overseas in over twenty-four years.”

“That’s how old I am,” I point out, confused. “I thought you’d never been anywhere but Los Angeles?”

“Uh… yes, that’s what I meant,” my mother corrects herself with one of her sweet smiles.

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