Page 157 of The Enemy Protector
I sink into his desk chair and feel his presence. It’s too quiet. It feels like the calm before the storm.
“Please come home,” I whisper to the empty room. “Please.”
My phone stays silent.
The minutes tick by.
I should eat something. The nausea is worse when my stomach is empty. But the thought of food makes me want to throw up.
Nelson appears in the doorway with a bottle of water and a pack of crackers. He sets them on the desk without a word and disappears again.
I force myself to eat two crackers. Drink half the water. It helps, marginally.
I know Nelson knows. He doesn’t say it, but he’s with me enough to notice things. And I know there’s no way he didn’t see me buying the tests, though I lied to myself that he hadn’t.
I appreciate him keeping my secret, but I know it won’t last. He’s giving me the chance to tell Sergei, but if I don’t, he will. It’s understood.
An hour passes. Then two.
My phone buzzes.
I snatch it up so fast I almost drop it.
Sergei:This is going to take a while.
I text back immediately.Be safe.
I set the phone down and rest my head in my hands. The exhaustion is overwhelming.
But I can’t sleep. Not until I know Sergei is safe. Not until I know this is over.
36
Sergei
My fingers tap against my thigh. Waiting. I hate fucking waiting.
And then Kirill’s phone vibrates in his hand.
“Is it done?” Kirill answers on speaker.
“Done. That bitch is burning to the ground.”
Kirill looks at me. “Sofia’s going to be pissed you keep burning down her warehouses.”
“She’ll understand,” I say dryly.
“How many got out?” I ask.
“Three, plus him. We could have taken them out.”
“No. I want him to see me coming.”
Kirill ends the call. “Think they’ll pop up again?”
“Of course, but it won’t be in my fucking city.”
“There will always be customers.”
