“I’m the one who decides whether you resisted or not,” he snarls then snaps the handcuffs on my wrists.
I gulp at the feeling of being handled like a criminal. I hate this. The detective shoves me inside so I’m sandwiched between him and the other officer.
The pungent smell of coffee and smoke fill the car and the windows are securely closed. Of course. I try to breathe through my mouth as we drive down Blackwood’s streets.
We go for about fifteen minutes in suffocating silence. They don’t talk and I’m determined to keep my right to remain silent.
Why is the station so far away?
Something vibrates at my side before the officer beside me picks up. He speaks in Russian, and even though mine is rusty, I recognize the words loud and clear.
We got her.
Oh, God. Oh, no.
I try to keep my expression neutral, to not show I know what he’s saying.
This must be Ivan Sokolov, my mom’s killer, the reason Reina disappeared.
Now, he’s coming after me.
I stare out the window and sure enough, we’re out of the civilized area and headed to the highway that leads to the forest.
Shit, shit.
Think. I need to think about a way out of this. What would Mom have done under the circumstances?
“I need to use the bathroom,” I say in a bored voice.
“You’ll do that when we get to the station,” Detective Daniels says.
He’s in on this, too. He must be. That’s why he was so focused on my case like a parasite. It wasn’t for justice; it was because he works for Ivan.
“Well, it’s urgent. You got me out in a rush.” I roll my eyes. “I’m fine if you want piss all over your seat.”
The officer beside me curses me in Russian.
Well, fuck you, too.
He taps the barrier separating us from the driver and tells him something. They exchange tense words for a bit and I keep a bored façade as I try to figure out what they’re saying.
One of them is saying no, and the other says the boss won’t be happy if something happens to me. Finally, they decide to make a stop at a gas station. Detective Daniels is the one to accompany me.
“Behave.” He flashes me his gun as he stands at the entrance.
I go inside and resist the urge to melt to the ground and have a freak-out party.
Holy shit. They’re taking me to the Russian mafia.
My phone and bag are in the hotel room so I have nothing on me right now.
Pacing the length of the restroom, I stop near the mirror. There’s a chipped part that’s nearly falling off.
I don’t hesitate to grab it and hide it in the pocket of my denim jacket as I turn on the faucet.
My only option is to get rid of Daniels. The others are in the car, so I have maybe five minutes before they come looking.
You’re Mia’s Sokolov’s daughter and Nikolai Sokolov’s granddaughter. You can do this.
A loud bang comes from the outside. “Are you done?”
I stare at myself one last time in the mirror.
You’re a survivor, just like your mother, just like Reina.
The knob turns at the same time I open the door.
“Finally,” he grunts. “Walk in front.”
This is the only chance I have. My fingers tremble over the edge of the shard, cutting the skin.
Now or never.
I pretend to walk in front of Daniels then I turn abruptly and jam the shard of glass into his neck, just above the collarbone. His eyes widen and it takes him a second to realize what happened.
As he falls back, I fumble in his pocket and snatch away the plastic bag that has my bracelet then tuck it safely in my pocket.
This is mine, and he had no right to take it.
He reaches a hand for me, but I’m already gone.
I don’t focus on him or the thud I hear as he hits the ground. I don’t focus on the oozing blood, surrounding him in a pool as he wheezes.
The only thing I focus on is my escape route.
I dart past him toward the gas station’s shop. I’ll use their phone and call for help. Then I’ll keep running or hide away until the guys in the car are gone.
I’m in front of the store when a strong blow lands on the back of my neck. My feet fail me and I fall to my knees and then to my side, my vision turning blurry.
Russian voices hover over me, far then near then almost as if they’re speaking from a well. Someone kicks me in the ribs. I want to scream but no voice comes out.
Instead, darkness swallows me whole.
I’m so sorry, Mama.
I barge into Alexander’s office, my temper about to boil over. The secretary runs after me, telling me he has a meeting and all that blah blah blah, but I’m not hearing her.
The way here was a fucking blur. I drove like a madman and thankfully didn’t get myself or anyone else killed.
I can’t erase the way Reina looked as she went with them. That vulnerability she hides so well was visible in the slight tremors in her hands and how she tried to leave me as fast as she could.
But she’ll never leave.
Now that I know what Ari did, I’ll never let Reina out of my sight. Even before knowing Ari’s plans, I was already figuring out a way to keep Reina.
I meant it—I can’t stay away.
Ari, my baby sister Ari…she was more messed up than I could’ve predicted, and it hurt like a motherfucker to hear her say those words.
On the flip side, it gave me some closure.
There’ll always be pain whenever I think of my only sibling, the one I lived for at one point. There’ll be days where I’ll stop and ask myself if I could’ve done better, understood her better, but that day won’t be now.
Alexander pauses mid-speech as I stride to the center of the conference room. When he figures out I’m here to stay, he addresses his audience. “That’ll be all for today. Email me the first draft.”
Just like that, the hotshot lawyers who were sitting around the table scatter.
The secretary apologizes, telling him she couldn’t stop me, but he dismisses her too. As the door hisses closed behind her, he leans over. “To what do I owe this visit?”
“Reina has been arrested by that fucking detective.”
“What?” He straightens, nonchalant mood disappearing.
“He had an arrest warrant.”
“He can’t have an arrest warrant—there was no body.”
“Well, do something.” My temper flares, nearly getting the better of me.
“I won’t have you order me around, Asher.”
I charge toward him until I’m standing toe to toe with him. We’re the same height, but I’m wider than him. The only reason I’m not punching him is because Reina needs his skills. “You were never a father to Ari and me, but you were always someone she could lean on. Don’t fail her, too.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that.” He retrieves his phone from his pocket and dials a number. After a few seconds, he says, “Alexander Carson speaking. My client Reina Ellis has been arrested by Detective Daniels, and I would like to know the details.”
He listens for a few seconds then his brows furrow.
Fuck. That’s not a good sign.
“Where is the detective?”
After listening, he hangs up with a curse.