Page 147 of Immaculate Deception (Romanoff Bratva)

“Because I didn’t want to lead anyone here,” he says, pulling a key from his pocket and unlocking a metal door. “Also, I didn’t know if the location had been compromised. We had no idea how much information Zotov or his cronies had. This bunker has been a family secret for a situation just like this. But if Zotov knew about it, it would be the first place he’d look. So I had to wait it out.”

I guess he has a point. Still, part of me wonders if everything I’ve been through could’ve been avoided.

I tuck that thought aside. It’s too horrifying to contemplate.

He pushes open the door and lights immediately turn on. For a second, I think they must be motion-activated.

But then a figure appears in the wide doorway in front of us. I jump back in fright, accidentally slamming against Dima’s chest.

“Sorry,” the man says, folding his hands behind his back. “Didn’t mean to scare you. I’m just glad someone else is finally here. I’m bored.”

Dima nods in greeting. “Hey, Gennady.”

Gennady. I recognize the name. Dima said he was his best friend.

Usually, that would be enough information for me to trust him.

But after what my own best friend did to me, I don’t place much stock in the term anymore.

“You must be Arya. Dima’s told me so much. Can’t get him to shut up about you, really.”

Gennady grabs our bags out of the car, then leads us into the house.

Even halfway underground, it’s the nicest house I’ve ever seen. The floors and walls are all solid wood, but that’s offset by the wall of windows facing out the backside of the bunker.

“They’re all bulletproof and one-way,” Gennady explains when he sees me eyeing them. “No one can see inside. And we’re snug as a bug. Nuclear bombs couldn’t flush us out of here.”

“How reassuring,” I drawl.

What I don’t add is this:I’m as scared of the men inside this house as I am of the men outside it.

I swallow back my anxiety and keep exploring. The entryway is open and looks down on a sunken living room with an electric fireplace, a U-shaped sofa, and two tall bookshelves.

Just behind where Gennady stood to greet us is an open-concept dining room and kitchen. There are no windows on that side of the house, but large skylights bring in plenty of natural light.

Then Dima grabs my hand and leads me down the hallway towards the bedrooms.

There are three of them. Two are mostly identical, with queen-sized mattresses, matching dressers, and built-in closets. The last, however, is different. It has a wall of windows just like the living room with a distant view of the NYC skyline.

Gennady drops our bags down. “Hasta luego,” he mutters as he backs out of the room.

“Satisfied with the grand tour?” Dima asks me sarcastically once we’re alone.

I turn to face him. “We won’t be here long, will we?”

“I’ll take that as a no,” he rumbles.

“I’m just anxious to find Lukas. You still haven’t told me anything about this plan. What do we know? Who has him? How do we get him back?”

“You’ll get answers when the time is right.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “You realize that’s the most annoying possible answer in the entire world, right?”

To my surprise, he actually chuckles. It amazes me how much I’ve missed that sound. Every since our fight at the cabin last night, he’s been radiating this dark fury that only Dima can pull off.

“And yet, it’s my answer,” he says. “Deal with it. Or don’t. That’s your problem, not mine. Now, stay here. I have to go take care of some things.”

“Okay, just let me use the restroom and then I can come, too.”

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