Page 45 of Vows of Blood
“He wouldn’t jump straight to war.”
“No. Not unless his son’s life was threatened. Pavel knows that better than anyone.”
I sigh. This rivalry between them is getting old. “Dmitri, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to avenge your brother after an attack.”
“No, of course not. But if I thought I deserved to be heir over my brother and I was looking for a way to do it without arousing suspicion…”
I almost want to laugh. “You are joking, I hope. Pavel would never betray me or the brotherhood. My father’s words are law?—”
“You don’t have to explain the rules to me. I know,” he says in a patient tone. “All I’m saying is that it’s not entirely unheard of for the son of aPakhanto make a grab for power. Youand Maxim are both taking his word that the shooter fingered Pecora. Pavel?—”
“Not Pavel,” I tell him. “And I would suggest you drop it. Talk like this is the kind of thing that causes divide, and I won’t hear it.”
“Okay, okay. Subject is dropped.” Dmitri sighs, then, “I’ll wait for the call, then. Thank you.”
I hang up, a little pissed that Dmitri would even make the vague suggestion that my brother is planning a coup. He might be hotheaded and he may make poor choices every now and then, but he is loyal to the brotherhood. It is something that should never be questioned.
Anyway, I should let Isabella know I have to leave. It’s still early and there’s a part of me that would rather just leave without disturbing her sleep, but after all we’ve gone through, I have no desire to have her think that I’ve abandoned her yet again.
I walk into the bedroom to find the bed empty. I go to the open door of the bathroom and see that it’s empty too.
There aren’t too many places that she could go where I wouldn’t find her in this penthouse. And if she’s awake…
Shit. She probably heard the conversation, or at least part of it.
I head to the study. I never told her about the emergency exit there, but she has been left alone here more times than not. It would be no wonder if she found it…
The second I walk through the door, I realize that’s exactly what’s happened. The hidden door is slightly ajar, revealing the hallway leading to the elevators. I close the door and rush to the bedroom to get dressed.
There’s only one place that she’d go right now.
I’m notsure how long it’s been since she left, but it couldn’t have been all that much time. As I’m rushing through the lobby, I have the thought to ask the front desk girl how long ago they had seen her but decide against it. However long it was, every second is counting against me.
I’m already in the car and on my way. Pecora’s territory’s still about five minutes away and I’ve been on the road at least twenty. I wonder how long it might have taken Isabella to dress, then get to the lobby and hail a cab. I might already be too late. She could be there right now, telling her father what she’d heard.
I can’t say as I blame her, really. I might do the same thing in her position. All I keep thinking about is how there is a bullet out there that’s meant for me. Her acting in my name might change its trajectory and once again…
It can’t happen again. Not like this. It simply can’t.
Before long, I’m turning down his block. I cruise past the first few houses and I see a taxi round the corner.
It’s her. I park the car across the street from Pecora’s and wait as the taxi pulls in right in front of the house. As she gets out, I do. The taxi pulls off as she starts up the walk.
“Isabella,” I call out to her.
She whirls around and the second she sees me, she freezes, fear in her eyes. Like a deer caught in the headlights of a stalledtruck, she just stands there for a split second, then she turns to continue her walk up Pecora’s door, moving faster.
I rush across the street. “Isabella, stop,” I call out to her.
“No,” she shouts back. “You don’t get to stop me, Alexei— Hey!”
I’ve grabbed her arm. I whirl her back around and she snatches her arm out of my grip. “Get your hands off me!”
I grab her again and yank her to me. “You cannot be here right now,” I growl at her. “Get in the car and let’s go. Now.”
She wriggles out of my grasp. “I have to warn him.”
“Isabella, your father has a hit out on me,” I tell her. “There could be someone watching us right now?—”
