30. Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty
Daniel
“What did Layla say?” Sergei asks.
“Mount Charleston,” Sergei finishes, shifting to the left lane.
“She also mentioned Aurora appeared anxious, like someone might be following her,” Daniel says.
Sergei snaps his head to Daniel. “Someone, like whoever left Aurora’s room in disarray?” The car lurches forward as Sergei slams on the gas pedal. “Try calling her again.”
Daniel redials Aurora’s number, but the call disconnects. He wonders how, with all the available technology in the world and the rich people living in Mount Charleston, a situation like this can still exist, where cell service is so poor.
“You should take the 95,” Daniel suggests, pointing toward the exit.
“It’s a one-lane road at this time of night, thanks to construction,” Sergei snaps, accelerating further.
“If you go any faster, we’ll get pulled over, and that’ll cost us precious time,” Daniel warns, gripping the overhead handle.
His detective instincts are tingling in all the wrong ways.
They both know they need to make sure Aurora is safe, to get their eyes on her, because whoever left the phone in Sergei’s office might have additional plans.
Sergei’s knuckles whiten around the steering wheel. “I don’t. Fucking. Care. If a friend of yours pulls me over, I’ll get a police escort. I’m not stopping for anyone.”
“If we involve the police, they won’t handle things the way we need them to be handled,” Daniel says, urgency tightening his voice. “It’ll turn into an official mess, with everything done by the book.” He tries to match Sergei’s tone, hoping he recognizes that for once, they are on the same side.
He never imagined he’d end up here working together with the man who had been the bane of his existence. His eyebrows furrow as he watches Sergei, questioning whether he can really trust him.
Trust has never come easily to him. With a conman father like his, how could it?
Even before Bambi died, Daniel had doubts about Sergei’s suitability for his little sister.
What kind of brother welcomes the idea of his younger sister dating a much older, wealthy foreigner?
Perhaps it was Sergei’s intense focus on his hotel or the shady origins of his fortune that bothered Daniel the most. Or maybe it was how much Sergei’s businessman persona reminded him of his own father, intensifying his fear that Alessia was making a mistake.
Their first meeting did nothing to ease those fears.
Daniel’s nerves were already on edge as he stepped into the elegant restaurant. Alessia spotted him immediately and ran over, her face lighting up with genuine delight. She led him to the private room where Sergei rose at Daniel’s approach.
“Sorry for running late,” Daniel said, his voice tense as Sergei’s eyes scrutinized his clothes. “And for not dressing fancy,” he added, well aware of the bloodstain on his left shoe.
“It doesn’t matter,” Alessia dismissed Daniel’s apologies with a clap of excitement.
Her gaze darted between Daniel and Sergei, her face a portrait of hope, as if she envisioned them going on fishing trips and sharing barbecue recipes.
“You’re here! My two favorite men!” She glided over to Sergei and planted a kiss on his cheek, his arm sliding around her waist, resting lower than Daniel would have preferred.
“Alessia has told me so much about you,” Sergei said, gesturing to the chair across from him, before sitting down himself.
Daniel took his seat and reached for his fork, noticing his reflection in it before setting it down. He then leaned back in his chair with an air of authority. “So, what are your intentions with my sister?”
“Daniel!” Alessia scolded, her eyes wide with shock and embarrassment.
“That is a valid question, Alessia,” Sergei interjected smoothly.
Daniel was surprised Alessia tolerated Sergei contradicting her. She was independent and rarely took crap from anyone, least of all men. It comforted him to know she had a strong backbone. So, the fact that Sergei’s commanding tone didn’t unsettle her made Daniel uneasy.
“My intentions have been communicated to Alessia,” Sergei replied calmly. “If she chooses to share those with you, that is her prerogative.” He gestured to the server, signaling for their orders, effectively closing the topic.
Arrogant son of a bitch.
“Sergei.” Alessia leaned her head on his shoulder, fluttering her eyelashes to soften him.
His stern expression melted into a tender smile as he kissed the top of her head.
“Daniel, everything is fine. Everything is great. In fact—” Alessia’s fingers slid through her hair as she placed her hand on Sergei’s knee.
The waitress approached with a polite smile. “Are you ready to order?”
“Two glasses of champagne and one orange juice,” Sergei said.
Daniel watched his sister closely, noticing her barely concealed anxiety. He knew her well, perhaps better than she realized. The subtle tremor in her movements and the quick glances between Sergei and her spoke of an unease that didn’t match her cheerful facade. “Alessia, what’s wrong?”
The events unfolded so quickly. Before Alessia’s words, “I’m pregnant,” could fully settle in the room, Daniel’s instincts kicked into overdrive. In a blur of movement, he lunged across the table, his hand tightening into a fist.
The blaring horn snaps Daniel from his memory. Sergei curses in Russian under his breath, swatting at the passing car with a frustrated wave.
“What were you thinking about?” Sergei’s voice carries a hint of forced nonchalance, as if trying to divert attention from his own thoughts.
Daniel raises an eyebrow. “About the time I punched you.”
Sergei’s lips twitch into a faint smirk. “Which time?”
Despite their tangled history and the simmering emotions beneath the surface, Daniel experiences an unexpected surge of gratitude.
Andreas may be his partner, but it’s Sergei he’s glad to have by his side right now.
Because if Aurora is in trouble, and the same person who killed his sister is after her—there won’t be room for the law tonight.
And something tells Daniel that Sergei is exactly the kind of partner a night like this calls for.
Sergei’s hand tightens around the gear stick as he glances at Daniel, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. “How long has she been working with you? Spying,” he falters, trailing off as if dreading asking the question. “Spying on me?”
Daniel meets Sergei’s gaze and, for a fleeting moment, catches vulnerability—raw and unguarded.
It’s as if Sergei is wrestling his own demons, just as Daniel is haunted by memories of his sister.
Maybe the possibility of losing Aurora, like he lost his sister, forces him to confront how badly he treated her.
“For a while,” Daniel begins, struggling to keep his voice steady.
“But—” he pauses. He lied to Sergei about the reason Aurora agreed to work with him.
He wanted to hurt Sergei, but now—with the possibility that Sergei is innocent—he feels the sudden need to tell him the truth.
“She never believed you were guilty.” He notices a slight shudder in Sergei’s breath, a crack in his otherwise composed demeanor.
“No matter how much I tried to convince her,” Daniel adds, attempting to ease the tension with humor.
Sergei’s lips curve into a tight, bitter smile. “She seems to be a better detective than you are.”
Daniel brushes off the taunt. “How long have you been—”
“Since the moment I met her.” Sergei’s words cut through the air, pulling their focus back to the mission. Without another word, the car lurches forward as Sergei slams on the accelerator.
Daniel watches the distant mountains against the night sky, his heart racing. Every second counts now, and he can only hope they’ll get there in time.