Page 157 of Dirty Grovel

“To the Savins,” I answer brightly. “I need a little girl time. We might stop by an In ‘N’ Out first, though.” I rub my belly. “Cravings, you know.”

He offers me an uncertain smile. “Is Mr. Pavlov aware?”

“Oh, yeah. He’s drunk, so I doubt he’ll remember in the morning. But feel free to go in there and check with him if you like. You might have to wake him up, but I’m sure?—”

Pavin’s face pales. “No need, ma’am.” He gives the signal to open the gates.

Faye drives out, her calm breaking the moment we’ve cleared security. “Sutton Palmer, just what the hell are you playing at?”

“I’m sorry, Faye,” I whisper, dropping the act immediately. “I hate to involve you in this but you’re the only person I could trust.”

“Bullshit,” she retorts. “You didn’t call me because you trust me. You called me because I have security clearance.”

I flinch. “Can’t it be both?”

Faye takes the next right turn and then pulls the SUV to a stop on the side of a suburban street. “Okay, tell me straight: What are you planning? Because you’re not really coming to my place for a sleepover, are you?”

I shake my head.

Faye sighs, her eyes closing. “Fuck me,” she mutters. “I was really looking forward to that burger.” Her eyes fly open. “Where do you really want me to take you?”

“The harbor,” I tell her. “I’m going to book myself onto a boat heading to Nassau.”

“Nassau?!” Faye balks. “You’re leaving Palm Beach?”

“I have to. And this decision is not just for myself. It’s for Oleg, too. This is what’s best for both of us.”

“Says you.”

“Oleg would probably say it, too. If it weren’t for this baby, he’d be rid of me faster than you can say ‘trouble.’”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes, it is. I’ve brought him nothing but complications, Faye. Not even you can deny that. He’s on the brink of disaster and if I stick around, I’m only going to make it worse.”

“Is this about what happened today?” Faye asks shrewdly.

“No. Yes… I mean, it’s a little bit of everything. I ruined everything, Faye. I’m supposed to be an asset to Oleg. Instead, I ended up letting him down, embarrassing him, hurting him.”

Faye shakes her head at me. “Someone’s gotten in your head.”

I bite my lip. “Please, Faye. I know this is a lot to ask but… I have no one else.”

Faye’s hand tightens on the steering wheel. Then her eyes flicker to the ring on my finger. “You can’t just run away, Sutton. You’re engaged!”

I take the ring off and hand it to her. “Not anymore.”

She freezes. “You don’t mean that?”

“I do. I’ve never been more certain in my life. This is the best thing for all parties. If I disappear, Oleg will eventually find a nice, appropriate girl to marry, Oksana will be happy, and the entire Bratva will benefit from it.”

“Honestly,” Faye hisses, “what have you been smoking? Oksana will never be happy, no matter who Oleg picks. And Oleg is not just going to pick some other woman. He’s going to tear the world apart until he finds out. If you’re going to Nassau, he won’t have to look very long.”

“The plan is to hide in plain sight,” I say. “Besides, I’m in contact with Jesse. She has a job lined up for me. I can earn some money, get independent, and… take it from there.”

Faye looks at me as though I’ve just sprouted a second head. “This is not gonna work, Sutton.”

I grab Faye’s arm. “Please—you’re the only one who can help me.”

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