Chapter 50 Simona
SIMONA
Wind knifed across the moors, carrying a dampness and … music.
“You said they’d be asleep, Baby MacKenzie?” I poked Jake’s spine with the muzzle of my Grach as I followed him toward the stone castle. My stomach knotted tighter. Natasha had better be in there. Almost three in the morning, I still had to believe the Scots kept her safe.
He glared back at me. “Do you need a gun? Around my family?”
“Lower your voice.” I poked him with the gun before putting it in my purse. “Allude to our disagreement, I kill someone before you vindicate yourself. Da?”
“Yes.” He gripped the heavy, iron knocker. “Nobody’s gonna hear this.” He dropped his hand. “Give me my phone?”
I complied. In sixty seconds flat, the Brodys let us in, their eyes questioning my appearance with Jake.
Big Brody hugged me. “Glad to see you, lassie.”
Sure.
While escorting us into a seating room, Big Brody apologized for the misunderstanding. “Nan didn’t update me until later.”
“Och, I made that decision, meself.” Nan nodded, entering the large room in a long, short-set swimsuit.
“Night never gets old during summer in the Highlands. We … are celebrating with the grans.” She tugged at the hem of the matching flowery cover-up.
“But Natasha is fine. She and Lach are out. She reached you, but no one else?”
“She got ahold of me?” I asked.
Nan blinked. “Aye. Did you discuss the matter with your uncle?”
“No. I, uh, remember her call.” Seriously? So suspicious! I should interrogate them. But … Nan appeared genuine, she and her husband. “Jake and I were already en route when she called, so I wanted to see for myself. Then ring my family.”
“Understood.” Nan gestured. “Dinner or breakfast? Have you eaten?”
“I’m star—” Jake began.
My hand rested on his thigh, close to a location that made his mother blush. “Jake,” I said, “let’s find them.”
Little Brody grunted. “When we called about Jordyn, they were heading toward Mam and Da’s dock. Beautiful place. Hope you find them before you forget we need you to make that call to your clan.”
At the door, Nan called my name just as we walked out.
I clutched my leather purse close, heartbeat kicking up. “Mm-hmm.”
“Jake is in a long-term relationship. They attend the same university. I just wanted you to know, and I’d give him a skelpit lug”—Nan gestured a slap—“if he hasn’t told you about her.”
I gave a little smirk. “He broke it off. For me. Have a nice night with your grands.” I spun in my heels and stalked to where Jake glared at the moon.
“Get in the car,” I ordered, jerking my chin toward the rental. Frigid air bit into my cheeks as I rushed inside. I stared at Jake. That jaw—clean wasn’t my thing—ticked. It was diamond-cut, though, I’d give him that.
“Drive! Take me to the dock, Baby MacKenzie.”
He murmured his name under his breath like a curse as the car jostled forward. Soon, the headlights bounced over a grassy knoll. Jake drove into an empty space. Beams lit a dark lake below. My pulse jumped. The dock sat empty ahead.
No Natasha. My chest tightened. I’d trade two sisters for one of her—da, my twin sisters. I whimpered quietly.
“What’s next?” Jake muttered, voice flat.
“We get out.”
He slammed his door.
I slammed mine, the sound cracking through the silent night. The damp grass squished under my stilettoed boots. “Someone’s got a mood, da?”
He got in my face. The frigid air steamed with our breaths. “What do you expect?”
“My cousin isn’t here.” I sighed. “Your brother isn’t here. Don’t you care what’s happening? Your mom said I called them. Did you hear me on the phone?”
A muscular shoulder lifted. The picture of nonchalance. “I dozed off. I’ve already mentally assessed you for—”
“If you diagnose me, I will shoot you in the ass.” Eyes narrowed, I stepped closer.
“Shoot me.” His mouth quirked.
Neither of us flinched.
“Listen.” His hands flexed and unflexed, preparing for trouble. “That one shred of sanity—you deciding not to bring a loaded gun inside—that’s the one reason I haven’t—”
“Haven’t what?” I murmured lower than intended. Every hard line of him was within reach—a warmth that radiated through the Highland chill.
“Taken you down. I humored you. Accompanied you here. Yes, I expected them to be there. No clue what’s happened. People in love run off. Probably took a boat ride.”
“Take me down? How?” I grinned.
Instead of answering, Jake stomped to the car and slammed his palms onto the hood. “I speak; she doesn’t hear me. I remain silent, she … She …”
“She has a name. Simona. Just like Borya.”
Jake turned around, gorgeous eyes, gems glinting in the headlights. His jaw shifted, and he waved me forward like he was tired of this game. “You strike first. You’re a girl. So—”
I didn’t let him breathe. Launching fast and hard, I threw a cross. You’d be proud, Papa.
Jake blocked with insulting ease. His forearm smacked mine. I tried again. He caught my wrist, shoving me back. He released an amused laugh. “Are we done?”
“Nope.” I circled him. He stood there, only turning his head. Oh, the arrogance. You’d think he was Russian. Rurik.
My heart sped—half adrenaline, half … whatever this was between us. Repressed desire? I kicked toward him. He jumped to the side. Another laugh. “You’re slow, Simona.”
Jake bit back that laugh when I swung a knee.
“You’re smug,” I retorted, knee jamming against his … thigh. An explosive exhale cut through the air.
I ducked under his arm, swiped at his leg. He laughed—low, dark—and shoved my chest.
The ground disappeared under my feet, slick grass sliding me off balance.
“Simona?” Jake snapped. His body slammed against mine as he grabbed my hand. We slid down the slick hillside and rolled in a blur of dirt and grass until the earth leveled out.
Jake landed half on top of me, solid and warm. My heart hammered against his chest. His hand cradled the back of my head.
Lips hovered dangerously close to mine, and his breath brushed my cheek. “You good?” Jake whispered.
I nodded, heat rushing to my face. You like bad men, Sima. That’s how you’ve worked yourself up to Rurik. “Get off me, Jake.”
“Gladly.” He rolled away. We scrambled up, brushing off mud and grass, not daring to meet each other’s eyes.
I walked closer to the still, dark lake and along the mouth of the dock.
“Simona, wait.” Jake followed.
Boards creaked under his boots. My breath caught as he neared. My lips ached for a kiss. Instead, he pulled out his phone.
Jake flicked on the flashlight, and my stomach dropped. A bullet lodged deep into the post. More holes pocked the wood. The cold stabbed through me as I dove headfirst into Loch Ness. The world shrieked in silence—freezing black swallowing me whole.
Not thinking, I tried to scream her name and swallowed muddy liquid. You can’t die, moya kuzyan, moya sestra, moya sem’ya.
I mentally chanted those words—my cousin, my sister, my family—until Jake dragged me to the surface. We shivered, smoke curling from our flesh.
He held me tight. “We gotta call my clan, Simona. We gotta tell them.”
Despite the intense cold that threatened to overcome me, I stuttered, “We … we can’t.”
“Why not?” Voice hardened, Jake trapped me between his legs, arms locked around me. Instead of forcing the truth out, his breath warmed my neck.
“Because …” My teeth chattered. “She can’t be dead!
Jake, you must understand. The Mikhailovs—if Natasha’s dead—they’ll come after us.
We are bound. Contracted. Her to Edik. Me to Rurik.
” My voice broke at his name. “I’d rather die than fulfill my obligation …
but they-they’d resuscitate me! They’d bring me back just to make me suffer. ”
“Jesus,” he whispered.
“At least she has the weak one,” I said, staring at the bullet holes gouged into the dock post. “She just has to be alive … for more reasons than being my cousin … my best friend.”
Jake glanced over the black water, jaw twitching.
“Because if she’s not,” I muttered, “then we’re already dead. Every … Resnov.”