Chapter 20 #2
Maxim Ivanov, when he’d been alive, had ruled over the province with fear and with death. Most of his subjects were spied on, imprisoned, poisoned, or had their wealth turned over to the state if they questioned anything. Especially Ivanov himself.
While he and his daughter enjoyed the wealth and titles of the land, his subjects suffered greatly.
When the US government had gotten reports that Ivanov was planning a blockade of the Bering Strait, which included seizing all boats in the area and all of Alaska’s harbors, his team was sent in to confirm the rumors.
The night that he’d finally confirmed those reports had been the night Kimber had found out what he was. He’d believed that she loved him, that she would overlook his deceit. Instead, she’d turned him in to her father and helped as he’d been beaten and hauled away for death.
Then he thought of Olivia and realized that there was no doubt in his mind just how she felt about him. He knew fully that she loved him as much as he loved her. He hoped that she’d understand what had happened to him. Why he’d have to break his promise to her about breaking her heart.
“Yes,” he finally answered Kimber, “I’m with Olivia.”
“She is plain. Boring.” Kimber shifted slightly. “Her life is… chaotic. She has a daughter, no? Where is her man?”
“He’s… in jail,” he said, knowing there was nothing he could do now to protect them. She’d walked through their house already. Kimber probably had gotten all the information she’d needed on Olivia and Simona last night.
“Why are you here?” he asked finally.
Kimber glanced down at her fingernails again. “I would think that was obvious,” she said, as if bored. “You have something I want.”
“Which is?” he asked, feeling his stomach turn.
She stood up straight and moved slowly towards him, her hips swaying with each step that she took.
When she leaned in close to his face, he smelled her favorite expensive perfume.
The kind she’d always worn when they’d been together.
Instead of being turned on, he felt his stomach revolt and had to swallow down the bile that rose.
Her red lips hovered just above his as she pinched his face in her fingers, holding him still.
“Your life.” She smiled. “But I think first”—her dark eyes ran over his face—“I’ll have some fun.” She leaned in and covered his mouth with hers.
Moments seemed to pass by as he held still, willing her to make one mistake to allow him to break free, to rush back to Olivia and the life he wanted.
Then the door burst open, and he watched in horror as Olivia was shoved into the room by a large man.
Kimber didn’t release him or the kiss. Instead, she held his face tightly in her fingers as she deepened the kiss, darting her tongue over his lips and breaking through to explore the inside of his mouth.
He jerked several times, trying to cry out to Olivia, to get her to run, to hide, to escape. But Kimber kept him hostage. Locked in a one-way kiss.
When Kimber finally leaned back, freeing him, she smiled and turned to look down at Olivia, who was sitting on the floor, staring daggers into Kimber’s back.
“Oh good, you made it,” Kimber said, as if Olivia had just shown up late for a party. “I do hope Nicholai wasn’t too rough with you.”
“Where’s Simona?” Todd cried out, only to have Kimber jerk around and backhand him. Her fingers were always covered in large, jeweled rings, and he felt them tear his skin open.
“She’s safe,” Olivia said as she stood up. “I suppose you’re Kimber?” she said clearly.
He watched in amazement as the woman he loved squared off with the largest deadliest spider he’d ever fallen for.
“Kimber Ivanov,” Kimber answered proudly.
“Is that name supposed to mean anything?” Olivia said with a slight smile, then tilted her head. “You came into my store the other day. Did you break into my home too?”
Kimber chuckled. “You have such a small life.” Kimber sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know why Adrian, oh”—Kimber smiled again—“I mean Todd would waste his time with you. I suppose he was bored.”
He watched Olivia’s reaction and was pleased when she didn’t fall for Kimber’s trap.
“I’m guessing you’re just another job from Todd’s past. Someone he was paid to infiltrate to gain secrets.” Olivia smiled. “Is that what this is about?” She motioned around her. “You can’t take no for an answer?”
Kimber jerked towards Olivia, but Olivia easily sidestepped and twisted away from her advance. Unfortunately, Nicholai hadn’t left the room and grabbed Olivia’s arms to hold her still.
“It’s such a shame that you have to have a man do your dirty work for you.” Olivia laughed as Nicholai jerked her arms behind her.
“Olivia,” Todd warned only to have her shoot a look at him that told him to stay out of it. He didn’t know what she was doing, but whatever it was, he wasn’t going to get in the way. He’d seen her give that same look to Simona several times and knew the consequences of the mom look.
“I don’t need a man to do anything for me.” Kimber waved Nicholai off.
“Right,” Olivia said sarcastically. “I suppose Nicholai was the one that killed Todd’s team members. After all”—Olivia ran her eyes over Kimber’s attire—“a woman of your… fragile standing couldn’t kidnap and kill three members of an elite team, let alone a single urban mother.”
Kimber laughed. “Oh, I didn’t need any man to help out. It was easy, with this.” Kimber pulled out a long taser stick from her jumpsuit pocket. “I had this made just for me.” She turned it on and Olivia jumped back slightly.
“So, you what? Tased them, dragged them into the van, and murdered them? All for what? To get back at Todd?” Olivia asked. “Are they the ones who told you how to find Todd?”
“The first two didn’t break.” Kimber made a tsking noise.
“But the third…” She smiled, then glanced back at Todd as her smile fell away.
“He owes me,” Kimber hissed. It was the first sign that she was losing her temper.
He’d only witnessed it one other time before, the night she’d used her high heels to kick and stab him unconscious as he lay tied up on the ground.
“Oh, I see.” Olivia smiled and glanced at him. Suddenly, he could see clearly what she was doing. Olivia was stalling. Whatever she had planned, he knew she needed help. “You knocked them out and then Nicholai dragged them around? I bet you haven’t killed anyone.”
“You know, I think you are toying with me.” Kimber moved closer to Olivia, the taser held between them.
Whatever she was going to do, he either had to help her or come up with his own plan. All that mattered to him now was getting Olivia out of here safe. Even if it meant sacrificing himself.