Chapter 29
I’ve always known affairs were the norm in this world.
My father had mistresses. So did Uncle Yaroslav.
Dasha and I made a bet on how many Emilio would have before their first anniversary. Three was my guess. Hers was four.
Knowing it’d happen is one thing.
Living it right now? It feels like a knife through the chest.
Even if I never wanted to marry Emilio or if we hadn’t had sex, there’s still a storm raging inside me. One filled with anger, betrayal, and heartbreak.
I breathe through my nose, trying to relax.
“Where’s Andre?” Emilio asks Hannah.
I lean closer to him, trying to make out their conversation, but the volume is too low.
“I know you’re scared,” Emilio says, a comfort in his tone I’ve never heard. “But we need to find him.”
My gut clenches with a twinge of jealousy that she gets this part of him.
But also concern for the woman.
“If she’s in labor, she needs to get to the hospital,” I say tightly.
He doesn’t look at me or acknowledge that I even spoke.
Covering the phone’s speaker with his hand, he says, “No one,” into it.
That sure as hell stings.
“I’ll get a flight.” He cuts the wheel into a hard U-turn. “Keep calling Andre. If he doesn’t answer, call Angelica. Have her drive you. Stick to the plan, okay?”
When he finally ends the call, I ask, “What’s going on? Where are we going?”
Before he can answer, the sound of tires screeching interrupts us.
I whip around my seat just in time to see two blinding headlights barreling straight toward us.
“Emilio!” I yell.
Bam!
The impact of the car rear-ending us hits us like a punch.
The Range Rover jolts forward, throwing me halfway off my seat.
Emilio shoves my head down with one hand and reaches into the console with the other, pulling out his gun while controlling the steering wheel with his knee.
“Stay down and cover your head, Liliya!” he yells.
Gunfire explodes.
The rear window shatters.
Emilio stays focused and calm, bracing his arm across the seatback and firing out the broken window.
Then, he floors it.
My pulse races, and I wish there were something I could do to help.
The car behind us picks up speed.
But then comes another problem.
A second person on a motorcycle drives up beside us.
Great. We have two vehicles behind us now.
“Hold on,” Emilio says, jerking the wheel.
We hit the motorcycle.
The motorcycle spins out, crashing on the side of the road.
My heart pounds against my ribs as I grip the seat.
“As soon as I stop, you run,” Emilio instructs, his eyes on the rearview mirror, watching the other car.
He veers off the road, and plunges us into the trees. The Range Rover crashes through branches, and he slams on the brakes.
I throw open the door and run.
My adrenaline pumps, and the wind smacks me in the face as I sprint away from the SUV and road.
Emilio is right behind me, gun in hand, watching our backs.
The other car’s headlights shine through the trees, and they honk their horn.
“Keep going, guaio!” Emilio shouts as we hear shots being fired. “Ignore them!”
My legs burn, but I push harder.
I gasp for air, and eventually, my legs give out. Kneeling forward, I catch my breath. Emilio doesn’t say a word as he scoops me up and throws me over his shoulder.
He moves us faster than I could, and neither of us says a word. I don’t know how much time passes until he slowly drops me to my feet against a tree.
“I think we’re good,” he says, fighting off his exhaustion. “I doubt the lazy bastards even got out of the car.”
I slide down the trunk, falling on my ass. “Who were they?”
“No idea.” He starts pacing in front of me.
“You still need to get to the hospital,” I whisper. “You have a baby on the way.”
He abruptly halts and crouches in front of me. Grabbing my chin roughly, he gets in my face. “If you tell anyone about that phone call or what we’re about to do, I’ll kill you, Liliya.” His voice is raw, drenched in real threat. “And this time, it’s a promise.”