Page 48 of Forbidden Vows

“Are you sure?”

“You don’t believe me?” I ask, trying to sound offended.

“Of course, I do,” Ian replies. “If you’d be so kind as to give me a minute, I’ll ask one of the staff to fetch us some raspberries from the farmers’ market down the road.”

I give him a surprised look. “There’s a farmers’ market nearby?”

“Just half a mile north, actually. We source most of what’s in the kitchen locally. Our fruits come from our closest neighbors. The meats, too. I’ll be right back, and in less than twenty minutes, we’ll have raspberries for your salad.”

“Thank you, Ian. I truly appreciate it,” I reply with a warm smile.

Once he’s out of the kitchen, I know what I have to do. The fact that my father keeps brushing me off has become unbearable. I understand my stepsister being prickly until the day she dies, and I’m ready to accept that particular loss, but where Dad is concerned, I can’t sit tight anymore. I’m worried about that man, and I need to see him face to face.

So, I slip through the kitchen doors using the hidden spare key.

Carefully, I sneak around the house and make my way into the massive garage. The keys are in the ignitions, because nobody’s dumb enough to break into a Karpov property to jack a handful of luxury vehicles. That would be suicidal.

The fact that no one suspects I would ever do what I’m about to do is great, because it increases my chances of a clean escape.

The Karpov’s security detail hasn’t made a habit of keeping close tabs on me as long as I’m on the grounds. It’s why Ian felt so comfortable leaving me alone in the kitchen—then again, he doesn’t know I saw where he stashed that extra key.

By the time the bodyguards realize what’s happening, it’s too late. I’m already past the front gates and speeding up the main road into the city. Once I hit the beltway, they’ll lose me altogether. Anton will be furious, but I have to do this.

“Ah, dammit!” I grumble as I realize I left my phone behind. I was in such a rush to seize the opportunity that I completely forgot about it. But it might be for the best. They could use my phone to track me.

I take the side streets through Chicago and pull over a couple of blocks away from my father’s house. Nervous as hell, I get out of the car and look around until I’m sure that no one is following me.

I cross the street and make my way up the road, hands in my pockets, my nerves causing me to shiver a bit. I glance over my shoulder just as I’m about to turn the corner. Recognizing a few faces, I pull my hood over my head and proceed toward the back alley.

I don’t spot Ian until he’s standing right in front of me, a sour look on his face.

“You’re going to get me in a heap of trouble here, Mrs. Karpova,” he grimly declares.

“Dammit Ian,” I gasp, startled by his unexpected presence.

“You shouldn’t have come here.”

“My family lives here. I just wanted to see my dad.”

“It’s not safe.”

I scoff, giving him an annoyed look. “You can’t stop me from seeing my family. Now get out of my way before I get pissed.”

“No.” He grabs me by the wrist, and my heart starts pounding.

“Wait. Ian—”

POP. POP.

Something whizzes past both of our heads at a terrifying speed.

“Shit,run!” Ian yells, blocking me with his surprisingly athletic frame.

“What the hell?” I croak, but there’s no time to ask questions.

As we run down the street, Ian takes a gun out from a holster I had no idea he was wearing. He fires a couple of shots, and I yelp, finally spotting the people he’s exchanging fire with.

Two men, tall and muscular, wearing all black. They look like Russian goons.

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