Page 12 of Mercenary Princess

“You had a tail tonight and didn’t say that first?” Irina’s eyes narrowed before she hit Sophia’s shoulder with just enough force to send her and the office chair rolling several inches to the left. If the punch hadn’t told her, her friend’s hurt look would have clued Sophia in to her mistake. Irina was worried.

At Sophia’s glare, Jen calmly covered. “They didn’t follow us long, if they were looking for Sophia at all. Nothing on the hotel’s outer surveillance cameras showed anything I didn’t suspect.”

Sophia rubbed the renewed ache in her temples as James, Lauren, and Irina all listened to Jen’s detailed report on her interaction with Viktor at the club. The only men who seemed to show up in the video feeds in the hotel parking garage were Viktor’s, at least within an hour’s time frame of her exit.

“The Russian’s men got into a couple of dark SUVs maybe five or ten minutes before the camera showed us leaving. The cars fit, but dark SUVs aren’t uncommon,” Jen admitted.

“If they left first, they may have just gotten off duty,” Sophia offered, though her heart rate had kicked up.

“Or they were placing themselves in a location to better tail us.”

With mounting dread, Sophia grudgingly nodded. “That would indicate they saw me climbing the wall.”

Jen gave her a pointed look. “If it was them, and if they saw you climb, I didn’t see them. But it turns out Mr. Popov’s suite has a window with a potential view to your balcony.”

A chorus of curses rang out as Sophia’s heart stilled.

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