Page 32 of Arranged with Twins
The confirmation of what I already suspected settles like ice in my stomach. “So, our friend tonight was armed with a weapon stolen from a previous operation.”
“Seems like, and it gets better. The knife he used has a distinctive handle design. It was custom work and expensive. It’s not something a random restaurant worker could afford on his salary.” He holds up his phone. “I got a picture of it, but I couldn’t take it when so many people saw him try to use it on you. I’ll look into it to see if I can find out who does this kind of work, and for whom they do it.”
“That’s a good idea.” I settle back against the leather seat, my mind racing. Adrian isn’t just testing our defenses anymore. It seems he’s actively hunting. The escalation from harassment to attempted assassination represents a significant shift in his strategy, and I want to know why.
“What’s the timeline look like?” I ask Ilya while Sienna continues tending to my wound with careful precision.
“It’s hard to say. This felt like a probe rather than his best effort. Maybe he was testing response times or security protocols to see how close he can get before we react.” Ilya’s reflection catches my attention in the rearview mirror. “He’s building intelligence for something bigger.”
“Why such a public attack?” asks Sienna quietly.
I hesitate. “I’m not sure, unless he wanted to send a message that I’m vulnerable, and he’ll strike whenever he pleases.”
“That sounds like Adrian,” says Ilya.
“Who’s Adrian?” Sienna stares at him.
“Never mind about that,” I say, and she sighs but doesn’t argue. The thought of Adrian planning a more serious attempt while Sienna remains in the crossfire makes my jaw clench involuntarily. Tonight proved nowhere is completely safe, and even the most public venues can become hunting grounds.
“Double the security detail immediately for all. I want twenty-four hour coverage with no exceptions.” I look down at Sienna, who has finished bandaging the cut and is now sitting quietly beside me. “That includes you.”
She opens her mouth to protest, probably about to argue that she doesn’t need constant supervision. Then she seems to remember tonight’s events and simply nods instead. “Yes, I need extra protection now.”
“Good.” I pull on the spare shirt the driver passes back via Ilya. “It’s my gym shirt, but it’s clean,” says Dmitri.
I’m grateful to have something to wear, though I’m not wild about the bodybuilder character on the front. “What about Vincent’s situation? Any new developments there?”
With a warning glance at Sienna that disappears when I wave a hand, Ilya cautiously answer. “That’s getting worse. Three more shipments have gone missing this week, always with the same pattern. The containers are loaded correctly, with manifests matching, but the cargo disappears somewhere in transit.” Ilyaturns slightly in his seat. “He’s bleeding money and credibility with every loss.”
The pressure on Vincent was always part of Adrian’s strategy to force him into increasingly desperate choices while his legitimate business crumbles around him. Eventually, Vincent will have to choose between financial survival and family loyalty. I suspect that choice point is approaching faster than any of us anticipated.
“What are you talking about?” Sienna sounds fearful for the first time all evening.
I hesitate. “It’s more of what I told you about weeks ago. Your father has made some bad decisions, and they’re coming back to haunt him. I’m trying to stop that.” I expect her to push for more information, so I feign a groan and clutch my side. That distracts her back to tending to my wound. I feel like a jerk for the move, but now isn’t the time to tell her everything.
11
Sienna
The car turns into Leo’s private garage before he bothers to inform me where we’re going. The engine cuts off, and silence fills the space between us like a living thing as the driver and Ilya hastily exit, perhaps sensing a storm brewing between us.
“You’re staying with me tonight.” His voice carries that familiar note of absolute authority that makes my spine stiffen reflexively. “For safety.”
“Excuse me?” I turn to face him in the dim parking garage lighting, anger flaring hot in my chest. “You don’t get to just decide where I sleep. I have my own apartment, my own life, my own?—”
“Your own what?” Leo’s voice cuts through my protest with surgical precision. “Your own naïve belief that you can handle whatever Adrian throws at you next?”
The mention of that name again sends ice through my veins. “Who is Adrian? Stop dodging the question.”
Leo steps out of the car without answering, leaving me to follow or sit alone in a parking garage. I scramble out after him and struggle to keep up with his longer stride.
“Leo.” I grab his arm, forcing him to stop near the elevator. “You can’t just drag me to your apartment and refuse to explain what’s happening.”
He turns to face me, and something in his expression makes my breath catch. There’s anger there, yes, but underneath, I see something that looks almost like fear. “Adrian Petrov used to work for me. Now he wants me dead, and he’s willing to use you or any other weakness against me to make that happen.”
The words make me flinch. “Use me how?”
“As leverage, a target, or whatever serves his purposes.” Leo’s jaw clenches as he speaks. “Tonight proved nowhere is safe when you’re with me. At least here, I can control the variables.”
