Page 39 of The Hunted Wife

“I want to be perfect for you,” said Adam.

“And I want to be perfect for you,” she responded. “I guess that means we’re perfect together.”

Benjamin groaned. “On that note, I’ll let you go back to sleep or whatever. I have work to do.” He hung up.

Adam slid his arm to Millie’s waist and pulled her close. “Do you really think your father will leave us alone?”

“Yes. My father is many things, some good and some bad, but he really only wanted the best for me. Sometimes his idea and my idea of what’s best for me clashed, but that’s the way it is with family. You, of all people, should understand that. You have your brothers and what you have here with them is special. You do realize that don’t you?”

“I do.” Adam had doubts about what she said about her father. Not that she didn’t believe it, he was certain she did, but in his profession he recognized that what had happened was not at the behest of a loving father, but a tyrant.

“Now, why don’t you do something for me while we have some extra time?”

He grinned. “And what would that be, my darlin’?”

She leaned up on an elbow and looked down in to his face. “Make love to me, husband.”

He brought his lips almost to hers. “Your wish is my command.” Then he kissed her.

They were late getting downstairs.

Denver, Colorado

Office of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation

* * *

Millie wished they would move this process along. She had things to do and really hated being here. They’d brought her to a conference room with a long table and twelve chairs around it. She sat in one on the same side as the door. An easier escape route when they were done; she wanted out of there as soon as possible.

She’d been told this was the formal interview. The others had just been information gathering.

She hoped this was the last time she would have to relate these details of her abduction by Ricard.

The door opened and a tall man with light brown hair entered. He walked to the side of the table opposite her and set an ipad on the table in front of him.

“Mrs. Sullivan, thank you for coming. I’m Special Agent Alan Aubrey. I’ll be conducting this interview.”

“Agent Aubrey, I’d say it was nice to meet you, but I’d be lying. I just want this over with. I’m tired of having to repeat the facts to the CBI who should be recording them if they have such a tough time remembering.” Millie clasped her hands together on the table in front of her.

For his part, the agent squirmed a little in his chair, but the mask dropped a bit. “I’m deeply sorry about the previous inquiries. The rules were not decided by me but they do extend to all our offices. We are required to interview you several times to check for discrepancies in your statement. This formal interview will be recorded. Field interviews are not recorded.”

“Fine. Let’s get this over with, and hope it’s the last time I talk to the CBI. I really don’t want to do this again.”

“I understand. Please start with your name and then tell me everything that happened.”

Millie clasped her hands hand in her lap. “My name is Milena Ivanov Sullivan. My father is Sergey Ivanov. He is a Russian Pakhan in the Bratva in New York City. I ran from my father’s home because he arranged my marriage to a vicious and cruel man, Ricard Sokolov. Ricard planned to marry me, get me with child, deposit me in some villa in Italy and go back to his mistress. I knew that Ricard was cruel by the beatings he gave his mistress. Why she stayed, I’ll never know. He hit me once and that was all it took for me to run.”

She leaned forward in her chair and clasped her hands on the table in front of her. “I ran to Steamboat Springs, Colorado hoping the location was far enough from New York and I could lose myself there. But Ricard found me. I saw one of his Malchik, his soldiers, there and was preparing to run again, when I ran into Adam Sullivan, literally. We came to an agreement. He needed a wife and I needed a safe place to stay. So we married, and he took me to his ranch outside of Steamboat. He raises cattle with his six brothers and runs Sullivan Security and Sullivan Technologies, as well as other companies from there.

Millie sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. “Eventually, Ricard found me and kidnapped me from the ranch. Adam and his brothers followed. At one point Adam was shot, but he had a bullet proof vest on, so it didn’t kill him.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Finally, Adam managed to extricate me from Ricard and Ricard was arrested. That’s why I’m giving this statement of my own free will.”

When she was done, Agent Aubrey stood. “Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Sullivan.”

Millie stood. “You’re welcome. I assume I can go now.”

“Yes. I’ll show you out.”