Page 22 of Den of Thieves

Vladimir would also speak to Alexander about respecting boundaries. There’s no telling what his little eyes have seen.

The third time he felt something on his shoulder, he called it a night. He couldn’t guarantee that it wasn’t a spider camouflaged as a speck of dust, so he hightailed it back upstairs to his bedroom for a nice, long shower. Calling an exterminator in the morning was at the top of his to do list.

7. “Scar Tissue is Stronger Than Regular Tissue…”

-HENRY ROLLINS

After a quick stop at her home in Glencoe, Illinois for a shower and a change of clothes, Karina was finally on her way to the hospital. Her mother, the renowned historian Dr. Anita Moore, was on her way back from a conference in Chicago when a drunk driver swerved, hitting her car before crashing into a ditch. Karina offered to let her father stay at the estate for as long as he needed. Of course, he declined.

Halfway to the hospital Karina was shocked to find her face damp with tears. After all, she never had a close relationship with her mother. Even as a child. Her stoic upbringing was part of the reason she gave her children so much leeway.

She couldn’t stomach the thought of her and Anya growing apart. Vladimir told her often that the best she could do was make sure their children knew they were loved and protected. He was right, but also, what did he know?

Growing up, Karina often complained that her parents were not like other moms and dads. They didn’t celebrate holidays in the traditional fashion. Karina often sat quietly in the background while her parents discussed the cultural atrocities and corporate greed that made up most of America’s festive seasons.

Her father, Donald, always said what they lacked in empathy they made up for in brains. Translation: they would rather be cold and stern if that meant raising a strong, successful daughter to follow in their footsteps.

“Do you need me to come inside with you, boss?” Her bodyguard asked, jolting her out of her reverie.

“No, Andrei. Thank you. I won’t be long. There isn’t much I can do, but I still want to see her.”

Andrei nodded once, helping her out of the car. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked into the empty lobby.

“Hello, how can I help you?” the tired-looking receptionist droned.

“They admitted my mother the day before yesterday, Anita Moore.”

The woman behind the desk perked up, jumping to her feet. “Mrs. Kovalyova? Please come with me.”

“I’m sure I can find the floor myself.” Karina followed the spry woman to the bank of elevators.

“No ma’am. I have explicit instructions to escort you to your mother’s wing.”

“Her wing?!”

“Yes, your husband called and booked all of our private suites. He told Mr. Trent, the head administrator, that if anything less than exemplary care is given to Mrs. Moore, then he will sue us for more than the hospital is worth. I’ve never seen Mr. Trent look so scared. I was sure the man didn’t have feelings.”

Karina pursed her lips, content to let the eccentric woman distract her from the real reason she was there. She also made a mental note to thank Vlad and donate money to the hospital. “The top trauma surgeon in the world arrived yesterday. Dr. Armstrong made it perfectly clear that Mrs. Moore was his primary patient.”

“I expect nothing less,” Karina mumbled, slightly embarrassed at what her husband pulled off while she flew across the globe.

The receptionist’s back straightened further, not catching the sarcasm in her voice. “Right well, here we are.”

The two-story entrance to the private wing looked more like an exclusive spa than one belonging to a hospital. There was a marble fountain across from the bank of elevators. Large exotic plants were strategically placed to help the serenity of the space. There were no vending machines in sight, just a counter with an attendant on duty to provide anything the guests may need. Across from the elevators were two large glass enclosed rooms with plush recliners and movies playing on theater-sized screens.

Her mother’s corner room was at the end of the hallway, and it put the impressive lobby to shame. The colors were warmer inside, with more wood tones and padded furniture, but the elegance was still there. Karina couldn’t care about any of that because she was so worried about the state her mother was in.

Dr. Armstrong was beside checking her vitals. Karina sucked in a breath at the sight of her normally strong and assertive mother looking so frail and wounded. Angry purple bruises marked her face and a large bandage covered her forehead. The left side of her body was in a cast.

The doctor stepped forward and shook her hand. “Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Kovalyova. Your mother was in a nasty accident, but she’s a tough cookie. In addition to the fractures in her radius and tibia, she has two broken ribs. We’re lucky her lungs were not punctured in the crash. She’s responding well to the medication, and the swelling is subsiding. We’ll know by tomorrow if she needs any further surgeries. Mrs. Moore will be bedridden for a while, but we are positive she is going to make a full recovery.”

Karina nodded, trying to take it all in. “Can she hear us?” she whispered.

“Yes. She woke up not too long ago.”

“And I’ve been trying to go back to sleep ever since,” Anita rasped, opening her one good eye.

“Mom,” she rushed to the right side of the bed and grabbed her hand.

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