15. Lee
15
LEE
“ M ike, Andrew, do you see anything?” I asked into my headset, pressing my ear to hear the response over the blaring techno music. My nerves were on edge, and I felt like a caged animal, scenting danger but unable to see it.
“Some godawful fashion,” Mike grumbled from his position near one of the emergency exits. “Do people really wear this stuff?”
“I see at least four beers I wish I could sample,” Andrew replied from his spot near the bar.
Katrin had chosen Magnus Brewing Company in the heart of Columbus’s Brewery District for the fashion show. She’d had the second-floor event space converted to a catwalk with double rows of chairs arranged on each side. Blinding lights lit the stage, while thrashing electronic music accompanied the models strutting down the center.
I certainly couldn’t claim to be an expert in this kind of event, but the setup felt weird to me. Weren’t these things usually held in ultra-exclusive spaces? The sorts of places the masses couldn’t access? The rich wooden beams and columns mixing with the hardwood floors gave the space a very rugged feel, which seemed incongruent with a fashion show.
“You’ll be out of your misery soon,” I answered Mike, strolling along the side wall, unable to keep still. “They’re working up to their grand finale.”
“Thank God,” Mike muttered. “We heading out after this?”
“No,” I answered flatly. “We’ve got the after-party. I’ll need you both to help me keep an eye on Viktoria.” I wished I could’ve left one of my team with the plane, but too many factors lay outside my control. I’d had to call Mike in to meet us once I’d seen the venue—the blueprints Boom had sent over hadn’t revealed the poor lighting, or the decorations Katrin had brought in, including huge flower arrangements, mannequins, ice sculptures, a hundred places for a bad guy to hide out of sight. Even with three guys, it’d be a challenge, keeping Viktoria covered throughout the night. Of course, the pilot and copilot were still with the plane, so at least it wasn’t completely abandoned. They weren’t trained security, but they were better than nothing.
Five minutes later, the show ended, and the house lights sprang on. Viktoria jumped up from her front row center seat and hugged Katrin, a huge smile enveloping her face. I shoved through the throng to reach Viktoria’s side, but I couldn’t seem to catch up to her. The women made for the stairs, and I pushed even harder. Katrin’s security team blended into the crowd, getting closer to the women than I could manage.
Crap . Adrenaline flooded my veins, and I had to breathe like I learned in the Rangers to control the jitters it brought with it. This would be a prime time to snatch her. I didn’t trust Katrin’s team and until Mike, Andrew, or I were by Viktoria’s side, I couldn’t relax.
Something silver caught the light as Viktoria and Katrin exited the event room and headed for the wide staircase.
Knife? My heart seized. “Mike, Andrew, are you close to Viktoria?” I barked, twisting and contorting my body to wend through the high-class crowd making their way up to the roof for the after-party.
“I’m closer than you,” Andrew replied.
“Do you see a knife?” I snarled, jerking my head to peer through shoulders.
A lifetime later, Andrew answered, “Negative. Katrin gave Viktoria a silver bracelet and put it on her wrist. One of the ones they were handing out at the door.”
The relief flooding my body made me giddy, but Viktoria was far from out of danger. Until I had her on the plane, in the air, she wasn’t safe.
The crowd dispersed across the roof, space opening between them. I charged forward and caught up to Viktoria, twenty yards shy of the festive bar.
Viktoria shot me a strange look—irritation? Confusion? Katrin waved me back with an imperious hand.
“We’re okay,” she said. “Give us some space.” She nodded back the way I had come. I scanned the roof and sure enough, the perimeter was lined with men in dark suits, watching their charges from afar. Including Andrew and Mike.
“Her safety comes first,” I retorted through gritted teeth. “Where she goes, I go.” I looked to Viktoria for backup, and my stomach knotted further at her cool gaze.
“You’re scaring the guests,” she chided. “Keep charging around like that, and they’ll think there’s a threat.”
“Viktoria—”
“You heard her,” Katrin snapped, cutting me off. “Viktoria asked nicely. Now, give us some air.” She wound her arm through Viktoria’s and pulled her away, slowly steering her toward the center of the room.
I remained, staring after them. Pain pricked my palms from my nails digging in. I wanted to follow, but I couldn’t make a scene. Panicking guests would only make things worse.
“Didn’t I tell you?” Katrin lowered her voice, but not low enough that I couldn’t hear. “Control isn’t love. It isn’t protection. Next, he’ll be cutting you off from your friends, then he’ll drag you to his cave and I’ll never see you again.” She shook her blonde head. “Like I said, have your fun, but don’t fall for the help. You need to remind him who calls the shots.” She patted Viktoria’s arm, above her bracelet.
Viktoria shrugged Katrin off and motioned to the room. “I don’t see Marks,” she said.
“He said he might be late.”
“I’ll go network, then, until he arrives.” Viktoria floated off, a vision in blue. I trailed her at a distance, heart heavy in my chest. She hadn’t stood up for me or corrected Katrin at all; she’d just moved the conversation to another topic. Like she agreed with Katrin’s nasty assessment. Was that how she saw me? Some Neanderthal, out to control her? Drag her to my cave? I thought we’d worked through this, but obviously, I’d been wrong again.
I straightened to my full height and stuffed the pain deep. I won’t be a chump again. Not a third time . The only way I’d get through this night would be if I focused on the job.
Finding a spot near the center perimeter, I leaned my back against the metal railing and crossed my arms. In her shimmery silver and royal blue dress, Viktoria shone like a sexy siren beneath the little white lights strung across the roof-like canopy.
A gentleman in a well-cut suit—obviously wealthy, not some low-class caveman —handed her a drink. I gritted my teeth to keep from marching over and snatching it away. Doesn’t she know it could be spiked with a drug?
Viktoria laughed at something the man said, and he peered down the V of her dress. Two more rich men flocked to her side, and I could see the lust in their eyes. One craned his neck to check out her ass and her long legs, which were made even more provocative in those high heels.
Viktoria flirted a while, laughing at their jokes, then she extracted herself from the men and joined a loose group of couples. Her smile charmed everyone, but it didn’t fool me. No light reached her eyes.
Three men in dark suits emerged from the throng and marched toward Viktoria. I shot off the railing. Pacing their movements, I closed in. I didn’t recognize the men from the other two attempts to kidnap her, but that didn’t mean anything. Whoever was after Viktoria had a long reach, stirring up trouble no matter where we ended up.
Viktoria meandered away from the mixed group, still carrying her drink. She set the full glass on a table as she passed and waved to someone across the way.
The three men continued to barrel toward her, and she paused as if finally noticing them closing in. The lead man quickened his steps and opened his arms.
I charged forward.
“Sven!” Viktoria cried, throwing her arms around the guy.
I veered to the right, breaking off and slowing my steps.
“You need us, boss?” Mike asked in my earpiece.
“Gunnar, Emil,” Viktoria continued as she shook hands with the other two men. “What are you doing here?”
“No,” I answered Mike, spying him and Andrew halfway to Viktoria. I headed back to the railing I’d been holding up. “False alarm. She knows them, and I don’t sense a threat.”
Viktoria chatted a while with the men, then bid them adieu with more hugs and handshakes. She joined group after group, schmoozing to the max, charming the pants off the wealthy movers and shakers. Not once did she glance my way or even seem to remember I existed. Instead, she smiled, flirted, and fawned in a way that was nothing like the woman I’d gotten to know. Was this a fa?ade, or was this the real Viktoria? Was she faking for these men, or had she faked it for me?
If she was faking now, I couldn’t see why. She’d have them eating out of the palm of her hand if she let them hear her real laugh. Let them see her passion, her consuming fire. Her stubborn streak. Her quick sense of humor. The Viktoria I knew would bring this crowd to its knees.
Like she did to me.
But only when no one was looking.
I swallowed, feeling sick. I’d fallen for a woman who’d screw me in private, but in public, I didn’t rate so much as a glance.