Darya immediately stiffens. “It’s just pillow talk.”
Bullshit.
I press harder. “What do you know, Darya?”
Her hands clench in her lap. “Nothing,” she blurts out too quickly.
Liar.
I keep my gaze straight ahead. “If you’re scared, we can protect you.”
She lets out a hollow laugh. “You can’t protect me from Piotr. No one can.”
A chill curls around my spine. Darya might not realize it, but she just confirmed something I’ve suspected for weeks. Piotr isn’t just dangerous, he’s evil.
We reach an intersection. As Ivan slows the car down, I make a decision before I can second-guess myself. “Come with me.”
“Where?”
“To my house.”
“Ma’am, I don’t—” Ivan protests from the front seat.
She turns to face me, her expression one of confusion. “Why?”
“So you can talk to my husband.”
She stills completely.
“Pavel Fetisov.”
A ragged breath leaves her lips. “No-o-o.”
“Why not?”
Darya swallows hard, her nails digging into her palm. “A man working for him has been trying to contact me. I’ve spoken to him once. I don’t want to get any further into this than I already am.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that. It’s best you talk to him.”
She shakes her head back and forth several times. “I can’t—”
“You don’t have a choice.”
Darya’s breath hitches, a fresh round of tears spilling down her cheeks. She understands that however deep she thought she was in before, she’s now in deeper.
And there’s no going back.
Chapter 22
Pavel
“Repeat that.”
I grip my phone tighter, irritation hot beneath my skin.
Ivan doesn’t hesitate. “Your wife had me pick up a strange woman off the street.”
I slowly exhale as I press my fingers to my temple, forcing myself to stay calm. What the fuck is she thinking?