22. Brooke
Back in my room, I almost wear a tread mark into the fancy rug on the floor with my pacing back and forth.
I hate him.
I hate him so much I could spontaneously combust.
My anxiety is building with every second that passes.
I must’ve been crazy to go along with this.
I have to get out of here. If I don’t, I’m going to die.
The panic attack barrels toward me as I continue to pace the floor.
I have to find the police and tell them everything.
I reach for the door handle, not expecting it to turn, but to my surprise, it does, and the door opens.
It’s probably a trap. But I don’t give a damn. I have to get out of here.
Fueled by fear and anxiety, I step into the hallway and creep along the red carpet until I reach the grand staircase. My heart pounds, and my blood roars in my ears as I take every step down to the spacious marble foyer. Surely it can’t be this easy, that little voice warns.
The massive wrought iron doors are open, and I can see the blue sky.
I make a break for it, scooting across the foyer and through the doors. I burst into the sunshine and run down the front steps. There is a car heading along the driveway, so I run down a path toward an immaculately clipped garden and seek cover amongst the rows of lavender plants. I watch as men with serious faces exit the car. Lev appears out of nowhere and greets them. They’re part of the bratva. I shrink back further behind the lavender plants and watch them disappear inside.
This is my chance.
I look around for my escape route. Through the carefully thought-out landscape of wild lavender and perennials, I see the garage behind the mansion, where there are several cars. If I can get to one and get it started, I can find the nearest police station and tell them everything.
Taking a deep breath, I start to run. The Rolls-Royce Phantom we arrived here in is parked out the front of the garage, and as luck would have it, the keys are in it.
My heart racing, I glance around—there is no sign of Lev’s men anywhere, and I can taste my freedom.
Without another moment’s hesitation, I climb in the Phantom and hit the ignition. But when it roars to life, Igor the giant comes running out of the garage.
Our eyes meet through the windshield. But instead of looking furious, Igor looks almost sad as I shove my foot down on the accelerator and tear down the driveway.
My first hurdle is making it through the gates before Igor alerts security, and they close the gates on me.
Just as I think it, the gates start to close. So I put my foot down hard on the accelerator and, with a scream, close my eyes as I hurdle toward them, barely making it through before they close.
I start to laugh. A crazy maniacal laugh.
You can do this, Brooke. Just keep going until you find a police station.
But I don’t have to find the police. Because five miles down the road I see the distinct flash of red and blue behind me and pull over.
Relief tears through me. I’m safe.
I stop on the side of the road and open the door. But the moment I step out of the car, the police officer pushes his palms toward me and growls for me to stop. “Turn around and put your hands on the vehicle.”
“Officer, thank God I’ve found you. There’s this man—”
“I said put your hands on the vehicle, ma’am.”
His words hold a threatening edge, so I do as he says.
“Officer, I need to tell you—”
“This vehicle has been reported as stolen,” he says, walking up to me and grabbing my wrists.
“Hey!” I cry when he proceeds to cuff me. “You don’t understand—”
“I understand plenty.”
“No, you don’t. There was this man and—”
He yanks me around to face him. “I’m arresting you on suspicion of grand theft auto.”
I hear the roar of a speeding car coming toward us. A Lamborghini. It speeds up the road and pulls in behind the patrol car. Lev climbs out like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
“Officer, it’s him, he’s the man—”
“Whose vehicle you stole.”
“Yes, but I had to get away from him. Last night, he took me to his house and—”
“And when you woke up this morning, and he wasn’t interested in it being any more than one night, you took offense and stole his car.”
“Wait, what? No.”
“No, you didn’t spend the night?”
I glare at him. What is this guy’s problem? I can feel the judgment washing off him in waves.
I straighten my shoulders and glare at him. “Yes, I spent the night, but only because he forced me to.”
He smirks, and if my hands weren’t cuffed, I’d punch the smugness right off his face.
Lev strides over to us, and the officer gives him a friendly nod. “Mr. Zarkov.”
Lev returns the nod. They clearly know each other.
Which doesn’t bode well for me.
The moment Lev lays those dark eyes on me, an amused grin slides across his lips. It’s a grin that declares I’ve won.
I scowl at him. Asshole.
“I found her just after you called,” the officer says.
“I trust she didn’t give you too much trouble,” Lev says. He’s talking to the officer, but his dark gaze is fixed firmly on me.
“No, sir.”
“Then I don’t think we need the cuffs, do you?” Wickedness moves through his expression as he cocks his eyebrow. “As much as I like seeing her in them.”
I roll my eyes at the innuendo. As if I couldn’t find another reason to hate him, he just handed it to me on a plate.
“Of course, let me take care of that for you.” The officer removes my cuffs.
I decide it’s now or never. Surely, if I let the police officer know what’s going on, he has to help me, right? Okay, maybe not this guy, but if I could get to the police station and speak to someone else, it might be my chance to fix this.
“Officer, I think you should take me down to the station. I stole this car. I should be arrested for—”
“Hey, Jonah, are you and your lovely wife still coming to the party at the Zarkov Estate next month?” Lev says, interrupting.
The officer smiles. “Yes, sir. Me and Rita wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’ve been looking forward to it since the last one.”
Lev smiles, but it’s aimed right at me. “And you’ll remind the others down at the station, won’t you?”
“No need, sir. You know how much they look forward to attending your events. Don’t think any one of them would miss it for all the money on Wall Street.”
I resist pulling a face at his obvious devotion to the asshole standing in front of me.
Lev’s gaze is unwavering. “Good. You know how I value my relationship with all the law enforcement around here.”
“Yes, sir.” The officer looks pleased but remembers his professionalism. “Are you interested in pressing charges?”
Lev cocks an eyebrow. “I don’t think that will be necessary, do you, Miss Masters?”
I open my mouth and then close it again. Resigned that he’s won, I shake my head. “No, that won’t be necessary.”
“It was just a misunderstanding,” Lev adds.
“Well, then, I’ll be on my way,” the officer says, walking over to his patrol car. “I’ll see you next month, Mr. Zarkov.”
Lev doesn’t reply. He just keeps his eyes on me, and a cold shiver settles over my skin when I see the darkness in them.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I ask softly.
“Like I said, it’s nothing personal.”
“Well, it’s very fucking personal to me.”
He ignores the emotion in my voice and the disgusted look on my face. “Stop fighting this, and you might actually start to enjoy it.”
“You’re insane.”
“Maybe, but I’m not the one fighting a losing battle.”
“I’ll fight until I have no breath left.”
“You can’t win, so don’t try.”
Maybe he’s right. Maybe it is a losing battle, and I should save my energy.
“So what happens now?” I ask, my mind scrambling to work out my next move.
“I’ll follow you back to the estate.” He walks over to his car. “And this time, don’t try to run. You’re lucky it was me that found you, and not Igor. He loves that car, and he doesn’t like to share.”
I watch him climb into the Lamborghini and rev the engine.
Defeated, I climb into the Phantom. But for a split second, I think about making a break for it and driving into a ditch so the police officer has no other option than to take me down to the station or at least call an ambulance. But I know I’ve lost this battle, and if I want to win the war, I’ll have to play it a lot smarter than stealing a car and hoping it works out while I make a break for it.
No, I’m going to have to play his game. And I need to play it better than him. I’ll fool him into thinking I am going along with this crazy plan and then blow it up in his face when I have enough evidence to take to the authorities.
Turning on the ignition, I reluctantly swing the car around and follow Lev back to the Zarkov Estate. Igor is waiting at the steps to the mansion, his expressionless face somehow screaming disappointment and anger at me, and I can’t help but feel bad. Like I’ve disappointed my favorite uncle.
“It wasn’t Igor’s fault,” I say to Lev as I hold out the keys for him.
I don’t know why, but I feel the need to defend the seven-foot robot.
“I will deal with Igor later,” Lev says gruffly, taking the keys from me. “Once I’ve dealt with you.”