Page 72 of Hunter

“You’re not a traitor, Kasia. You are protecting your family. I would do the same for mine.”

A tear slips down the younger woman’s cheek. She drops her head into her hands and begins to sob. Behind me, Damon swears under his breath.

“She’s got her,” he mutters. “The world would be better run by women.”

That makes me laugh, and I turn back to watch my wife control the situation on the screen. She’s on her knees now, holding Kasia like she’s a lost soul in the night. Kasia focuses on Isabella. She’s broken and defeated, but not silent.

“He said he would send pieces,” she whispers. “Fingers, toes, eyes, and then once they were dead, they would take another.”

“Who?” Isabella probes.

“My mother, my son. Rodion has them both.”

Isabella glances up toward the camera covering the room, and her dark eyes bore into me even though she can’t see me. Her focus turns back to Kasia.

“I know a man who can help you, but you need to help us. Tell me everything you know.”

Chapter thirty-three

Hunter's Residence, London

Hunter

Isabella sits on the edge of the sofa, her knees pulled up beneath one of my hoodies. The weight of the past few hours still heavy between us. The room is quiet, but my mind isn’t.

“I’m incredibly proud of you,” I say, sitting beside her and hugging her tightly. “The way you handled Kasia. The way you handled yourself. You were breathtaking, Bella.”

Her cheeks pink beautifully, and she shakes her head. “I was only being human.”

“Tell me,” I say. “How did you know to say about the threats?”

“I guessed.” Her confession takes me by surprise, and I laugh.

“You guessed?”

She nods, her mouth splitting into the most stunning grin. “Well, I’ve gotten to know Kasia over the past year. She’s a good person. She wants to do a good job, that has come through in her work and how she treats those around her.” I lean in and kiss Isabella’s cheek. “Deep down, I knew she wasn’t a traitor by choice. I figured they must be holding something over her to have her give them information. And she’s a mother, so…”

My wife’s words trail off, and I drop my hands around her stomach, laying them across her protectively.

“You will be a mother one day too, Bella.”

“We can’t be sure with my history,” she says sadly. “I know you’re desperate for this, Hunter, but we can’t be sure I can give you this child you crave. If that’s something you can’t accept…” Her words stop, and I pull her to me hard. This conversation has gone so far off track, it’s terrifying.

“How could you even begin to question,” I whisper fiercely in her ear. “I spent twenty years missing you, and you think if we aren’t blessed with a child that I wouldn’t want you. Bella, you’re my everything.”

Her tears begin to fall, all the stress and uncertainty of today rushing to the surface. I hold her, it’s all I can do in a vain attempt to take away her pain. She was so in control today in that meeting room with Kasia. Her strength was undeniable. But in my arms, she’s allowed herself to grieve. Grieve the horror we heard of today, of the terror someone close to her was unknowingly going through.

“Do you think we can really keep them safe?” she asks, once her emotions are under control.

I don’t answer right away, even though I want to give her every comfort I can. But now, I don’t know if protection and survival are the same. Kasia’s family is entrenched so deep that they may be dead already. All I know is, I have to try because it matters to my wife.

***

Isabella

Lying in my husband’s arms, my mind drifts back to my earlier meeting with Kasia and the conflict of emotions that ensued. When Hunter had called me and asked me to come speak to her, I’d felt violated as he explained what she had been doing all this time. How she was suspected of running information on me, on Hunter, and on his businesses back to Rodion.

It wasn’t until I was face to face with her in that room that I truly understood. When I walked in and saw the woman I trusted sitting frozen like prey waiting to be eaten, my mindset changed. I know people. I knowme. And Kasia had been a great support to me in recent months, always there ensuring my home was clean and I had a hand of support.

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