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  “Probably. We’ll know more after we get her to the hospital.”

  Belinda nodded. In was inconceivable that she was going to have to let Rena go alone. “I need to call my aunt and uncle. My parents.”

  “Already done, ma’am.” An officer next to the gurney held up a phone. “Found this in her pocket. Spoke with her mother. They’re meeting us at the emergency room.”

  “Okay.” What else was there to do? Belinda felt helpless. Responsible. Guilty.

  Shit.

  Nikolav was once again at her side, his hand on her lower back. Support. Caring. It felt nice in the middle of the storm.

  “We need to get you out of here,” Patrick stated, glancing around. “Taylor’s nervous.”

  Taylor’s nervous? What about you? Did Patrick think there was another present danger? He was fidgeting more than what she’d like to see. The usually stoic agent was agitated.

  Belinda nodded in his direction as they wheeled Rena out of her home.

  She had to go with him. She could feel it. It was her fault everyone was in this current predicament. Not that she doubted her decision. Rena was alive. She was alive. The only two dead were Yenin’s men. Good riddance.

  She cringed as she thought of Alena on her way to the hospital. Why had Alena followed her? Dammit.

  And Taylor was going to be livid.

  But Belinda didn’t care. She did what she thought was right. Who knows how things would have gone down if she’d left the decisions up to the FBI? There was every chance Rena would be dead.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Nikolav had a finger hooked through one of her belt loops as she followed Patrick out the front door.

  She knew a battle was about to ensue. She could feel the tension as if there was a storm in the air.

  “She’s not going with you, Patrick. Not a fucking chance in hell.” Yep. That was the beginning of the tornado.

  Belinda spun around to set her hand on Nikolav’s chest, tipping her head back to meet his gaze. “It’s for the best.”

  “What?” He glared at her. “No fucking way.” He shook his head. “Have you ever been in danger under my watch?”

  “No, but that’s not the point. That was before Yenin kidnapped my cousin and held her hostage.”

  “So?” His gaze was furious. Raving. She thought he might explode and perhaps punch Patrick in the face to keep her from leaving his side.

  But the truth was Yenin wanted his hands on her. Not Nikolav. Not Sergei. Not Mikhail. None of the guys. He wanted her. He wanted Alena. He wanted Haley and Katie. The men could hold their own. It was time for Belinda to admit she wasn’t invincible.

  Besides, she saw some merit in this arrangement. If only she could speak to him privately and reassure him. But that wasn’t going to happen, and she needed to put on a good show here. For everyone watching. The place was crawling with FBI. Cops. SWAT. Everyone in hearing distance needed to believe she’d given up. Just in case one of them was feeding information to the other team.

  “Let me go to the safe house. Please.” She pressed her palms into his chest, willing him to look her in the eye and see the unspoken words. Just for the night. Just for an hour. Just long enough to make Yenin believe I’m out of the picture.

  Nikolav growled in response. His hands lifted to grip her biceps. “No. I don’t like it.”

  She rolled her eyes. This was about to get ugly. “Not asking your opinion.” It sucked, but perhaps it was better if onlookers thought she’d had a fight with Nikolav too. Maybe even broke up with him. Severed ties.

  Nik, please. Look at me. See me. Understand me. Read between the lines.

  His gaze narrowed, and for a second she thought she saw light dawn, and then it went out. “We’ll leave town. Go somewhere no one can find us,” he muttered, setting his forehead on hers as if he could soothe her into falling under his spell.

  She shook her head, leaning back to free herself from him. “It’s not forever. Just until this case is solved.”

  He jerked back. “That could be months.”

  “Then that’s how long I’ll stay.” She straightened her spine. “It’s time to admit defeat. I even quit my job. It’s not safe.”

  “You what?” He squinted. “When?”

  Please let him believe her long enough for her to get away from this crime scene. “This morning.”

  “We have to go,” Patrick reminded her. “Now.”

  She blinked up at Nikolav. “Let me go.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying let me go.”

  Patrick’s phone buzzed in his hand, and he held up a finger to indicate he was taking the call.

  As he turned around and took several steps away, Belinda looked back at Nikolav.

  “I don’t like the tone of your voice. Are you breaking things off with me?” he muttered against her softly. He shook his head slowly, disbelief written all over his face.

  It took every ounce of strength she possessed to keep her tears at bay and nod. A choked “yes” slipped from her lips. Anything to get him to release her. While he was too shocked to stop her, she needed to escape.

  Later she would explain. Later she would apologize. Later… But for now, she needed to get someplace safe. She was a danger to Nikolav and the others. The urgency in Patrick’s tone made her aware of that. He was agitated. Something in the air around her spoke of danger. To her. She needed to leave the scene. Now.

  Before she could lose her nerve to go through with this and while Nikolav was still so stunned his eyes were wide, she stepped out of his embrace and turned toward Patrick. “Let’s go.”

  Patrick was tucking his phone in his pocket as he turned to face her. He rubbed his temple with two fingers. “Patel is taking you.”

  “Who?” she asked as she approached him.

  Nikolav didn’t follow her. He didn’t move an inch. Not that she looked back. But she could feel his gaze penetrating her from behind.

  Another agent approached them from the street, walking quickly. She’d seen him before but didn’t know his name. He held out a hand. “Agent Patel. You ready? We need to go.”

  She nodded and followed him, a lump in her throat. Was she making a huge mistake? She couldn’t bring herself to look back over her shoulder and see the look on Nikolav’s face. It would destroy her.

  She climbed into an unmarked, older-model, black Toyota Camry. The FBI agent slid behind the wheel.

  She slumped back in the seat, still trying to catch her breath and shaking from her exchange with Nikolav.

  “You okay?” Patel asked.

  “Yeah.” She wasn’t. Not by a long shot, but how was she supposed to answer? “Where are we going?”

  “Safe house.” He met Belinda’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “Taylor will meet you there and debrief you.”

  Belinda stared out the window, watching the world pass by, seeing nothing. She leaned back and closed her eyes. What if this man was the mole? She hardly knew him at all. Why wasn’t Patrick taking her? She trusted him more than the others. She knew him better.

  She couldn’t stand the thought that Patrick could possibly be the mole. And she refused to believe it, but until this was all over, every agent was guilty until proven innocent. She needed to remember that.

  Unfortunately, in Belinda’s mind, that had to include Taylor. And whoever Leo’s contact was. Everyone was suspect. It sucked. But it was what it was.

  She tried to focus. Breathe. Even if this Patel guy was the mole, it wasn’t as if he could simply drive off with her and kidnap her. Dozens of agents and officers knew she was with him. It was too blatant.

  It took thirty minutes to get to the safe house that wasn’t a house at all but rather an apartment. Taylor was there when they arrived. She heaved a sigh of relief as Patel drove away. But was she trading one danger for another?

  “What the hell were you thinking?” Taylor asked before she even shut the door to the apartment.

  “That your
plan was going to get my cousin killed.” Belinda set her hands on her hips. “And I’m not a bit fonder of this current plan. I don’t want to stay in this so-called safe house. I didn’t want to quit my job, either.”

  “Good, because we aren’t staying here.”

  “What?” Belinda spun around to keep up with Taylor as she strode across the room and peered out the corner of a window.

  “It’s not remotely safe. Just using it to ferret out the mole, or hopefully Yenin.”

  “You’re fucking kidding me.”

  “Nope.” Taylor released the corner of the blinds and turned around, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. “You put a lot of people in danger.”

  “Seriously? That’s your angle? What I know is that Rena is hopefully going to live, and I didn’t die, either. Nor did any of your people. Hell, none of them even got shot at.”

  “Except Alena.”

  Belinda cringed. “How the hell did she get to Rena’s? And how badly is she injured?”

  Taylor shrugged. “I assume she followed you. How did you not notice?”

  “Kept my head down so I wouldn’t look suspicious.”

  “Two hundred people could have followed you. Alena isn’t even that discreet. She took a gun from Katie’s desk.”

  Belinda shuddered. “I heard. I can’t believe Katie has a gun.”

  “She doesn’t. Leo keeps it there. I doubt Katie’s ever shot a gun before.”

  “I’m sure.”

  Taylor’s shoulders slumped, and she uncrossed her arms. “I’ll give her credit for startling the asshole at the door and slowing him down, but she got shot in the process. And yes, she’s going to be fine. Grazed her leg. Already being released as we speak.”

  “Released? So fast?”

  Taylor nodded. “Don’t like the exposure of the hospital.”

  “Who’s picking her up?”

  “Eshan.”

  “Who the hell is Eshan?”

  “Sorry. Eshan Patel. The man who brought you here. I thought you two had met.”

  Belinda shook her head. “Seen him before. We haven’t met. Where is he taking Alena?”

  “Another safe house. We’ll meet her there later.”

  “Ivan’s going to have a fit.”

  Taylor lifted a brow. “You mean Mikhail?”

  “Trust me. I doubt Mikhail has anything on Ivan.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” She pushed off the wall. “We’re going to kill some time here and then move to the other location.”

  “That’s vague.”

  “That’s what I’m able to give you right now.”

  “You do realize I have no intention of staying in a safe house, right?”

  Taylor snorted. “Yeah, I’m super clear on that. You’re not exactly the docile type. But Alena needs protection. I’m hoping you’ll at least stay with her long enough to make her feel safe.”

  “What makes you think Alena’s going to give in to this plan any more than me?”

  Taylor shrugged. “Not sure she will. But she’s not as belligerent as you.”

  Belinda fumed, gritting her teeth before speaking. “Do you realize I just allowed the best man that’s ever crossed my path to believe I was breaking up with him to perpetuate this farce? Don’t act like I’m not a team player.”

  Taylor lifted a brow. “You broke up with Nikolav?”

  “Just for the sake of everyone standing around, but yes. Seemed prudent. If I kicked him to the curb and left with the agent for a safe house, it removes me from the equation. Or at least helps. Told him I quit my job in front of everyone too.”

  Taylor smiled. “Maybe I underestimated you.”

  “Yeah. Don’t get all cocky. I’m not staying. I just wanted to give the impression I was out of the picture. First chance I get, my ass is back to work on this story and my body’s in Nikolav’s bed.”

  Taylor rolled her eyes.

  “Smirk all you want, but I’ll gladly grovel to get him back, and that’s sure as fuck not going to be in months. I’m talking hours. So tell me, Taylor, what the hell is your plan?”

  »»•««

  “What the hell is going on?” Anton yelled into the phone the moment Millings answered.

  “House got raided. Your men are both dead. Rena Gallo was taken to the hospital. Alena Dudko was shot and also taken to the hospital. Her injuries weren’t serious. An agent took Belinda to a safe house.”

  “What the fuck,” Anton screamed louder. “How do so many of my men manage to fuck things up so badly in such a short time? What the hell was Belinda doing at Rena’s place so early anyway?”

  “Earlier than what?” Millings nearly shouted back. “You had us stationed outside her office waiting for her to leave. How the fuck was she at her cousin’s?”

  “You tell me, asshole. You’re the one who put a tracker on her.”

  Millings voice rose again too. “It might have helped if you’d have informed me of your plan to hold her cousin hostage in an effort to lure Belinda in. When I got the call that she had slipped by me and made it to several locations around town before anyone was the wiser, I felt like a fucking idiot. You weren’t the only person whose payroll I was on at that moment. What did you do to get her out of the office?”

  “Had a note left on her desk. She was supposed to meet me at five.”

  “Well, I guess she decided to jump the gun. Must have left most of her belongings behind too. She took the fucking L to get to her cousin’s house. It would appear one of your men met her outside and led her in. But Alena followed her. She shot at your man on the front porch a short time later.”

  “That would be when I told those assholes to bring Belinda to me.” Sure, she’d been early, but he’d anticipated that possibility and left instructions to leave her stupid cousin behind and bring Belinda to him at the lab.

  “Too many eyes were on that house already. When I arrived, the place was crawling with cops.”

  “That bitch went to the FBI first, didn’t she?”

  “She did.”

  “And you didn’t think this was information I might have wanted to know?” His voice rose again. He slapped a palm on his desk, unable to remember a time he’d been this angry or this surrounded by ineptitude.

  “All I had was a message to head to this address. If you had wanted me in the loop, you should have fucking told me what was going down.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Exactly.”

  “If it’s any consolation, she quit her job,” Millings announced.

  “How do you know for sure she quit her job?” Anton tapped his pencil on his desk, leaning back to stare at the far wall, unseeing.

  “Department memo. And she confirmed it in person.”

  If that was true, it would soften the blow of losing her. “Please tell me you’ve already forwarded me the address for this safe house.”

  “Yep. But you need to wait several hours before you make any moves. By nightfall, at least six other agents will also know her whereabouts. If you move too soon, it will point the finger right at me or the agent who drove her there.”

  “Done.” Anton never intended to include Millings or Dayton in his next plans. Their job was to let him know what was happening behind the scenes. He’d used them for several small jobs, but he recognized their ongoing value to him. The last thing he wanted was for either man to be under suspicion.

  »»•««

  “Please tell me this isn’t happening,” Nikolav screamed. His face flamed with anger. He glanced around the room at Leo, Mikhail, Ivan, and Sergei. His best friends in the world.

  They were at the clinic. He had let Belinda walk away from him four hours ago. And his entire world had been upside down since.

  “How could Taylor move two of our women to a safe house without so much as consulting us?” His voice was loud, hardly controlled. He didn’t give a fuck that Katie and Haley were also in the room. What mattered here was where Belinda and Alena were.

 
“It would appear she did,” Leo stated.

  “Fuck,” Nikolav yelled, turning around to slam his fist into the wall and then thinking better of it since this was Katie’s clinic.

  “Didn’t you speak to Belinda yourself?” Katie asked. “I thought you and Sergei were at her cousin’s house.”

  “Oh yeah, sure, I spoke to her.” He knew his voice was shrill, sarcastic. “It’s like she was brainwashed. In a trance. The way she pushed me away. I know we only met like twelve days ago, but I didn’t know the woman who got in that damn car with some FBI agent and drove away. She even told me she quit her job. And I’m not buying it. The woman’s spine was way too stiff. It was like she was reciting lines from memory.”

  “And where was Alena?” Mikhail asked. “Shit. Fuck.” He set his hands on his head and tipped his neck back to stare at the ceiling.

  “Already at the hospital. Ambulance took her.”

  “She must have spent less than twenty minutes there because by the time I got there, she’d already been discharged,” Ivan muttered. His hands were fisted at his sides, and he looked about as angry as Nikolav felt.

  “What was she thinking?” Mikhail asked the ceiling.

  Nikolav held up his phone. “Spoke to Taylor about an hour ago, briefly. She has both women with her. Thank God because when I saw Belinda get in the back of that agent’s car instead of Patrick’s, I almost lost it. Taylor insists they’re safe and we need to calm down and give her time.” His voice rose again. If his phone weren’t his only lifeline, he would launch it at the wall and enjoy watching it shatter into a million pieces.

  Hell, he hadn’t spoken to Belinda herself. Taylor could have been lying. The thought shook him to the core. He should have listened to his gut and taken Belinda with him, even if he had to do it with her over his shoulder kicking and screaming. She’d so completely shocked him that he’d been frozen to his spot as he watched her leave without so much as a glance in his direction.

  “Give her time?” Mikhail shoved off the wall he’d been leaning against and paced the room, running a hand through his hair. “Doesn’t anyone else think this is suspicious? We know there’s a mole in the FBI. Why can’t it be Taylor herself?”