The Devil's CrownPart Two - Monica James Page 0,54
her face with trembling fingers, but it sticks to the coagulated blood. “Прости меня, любовь моя. Я подвел тебя.”
Forgive me, my love. I failed you.
I can’t stop the guttural cry as I lower my chin, defeated. Gently gripping her limp hand in mine, I silently promise to protect her with my last dying breath.
“You can go to my mother’s. No one will find you there,” Pavel offers, but I shake my head.
“No, I refuse to put another life in harm’s way. I have to disappear.”
Squeezing Ella’s cold hand, I beg she takes my strength to heal.
“I can help with that, but it’ll take time to organize passports, ID—”
“And that is something I do not have. Time. I’ve already wasted too much,” I say with regret.
“What will you do?” asks Pavel, realizing this is one thing he can’t fix.
“There is only one thing I can do. I need to leave Russia. I need to take to the seas.”
This is the only solution I can think of at the moment. It’ll buy me time, and it’ll keep Ella safe. We’re not safe on land or in the skies. But at sea, we have a fighting chance.
Turning over my shoulder, I look at Saint who nods.
He knows this is our best shot because this is how he brought Willow to me. Yes, they encountered a few bumps along the way, but they survived. I have a yacht and supplies, so we can leave tonight.
“Pavel?” I ask, needing his advice as he’s never failed me before.
“They might not figure it out,” he says with a frown. “You can pretend not to know. But do you want to take that risk? Go now when you’ve got the chance.”
Willow swallows as I can imagine this conversation brings up many unpleasant memories for her. “Doesn’t that show your guilt? Leaving?”
“Yes,” I reply honestly. “But by leaving now, I’m escaping the inevitable. They will work it out, дорогая, which means you can’t be here when they do. Saint, you and Willow must also leave. Back to America. You must go far away from here.”
“And what about you?” Willow asks. “We leave, and you’ll be on your own.”
I appreciate her concern, but I need to go into this selfishly. The only person I can look out for is Ella. Which leaves me with another question—Irina.
I can’t leave her behind. The last time I did, she was almost killed. But how can I take her with me?
“No. We’ll stay here,” Saint says, surprising me.
“No, that is out of the question,” I argue because they’ll be sitting ducks here.
“This isn’t negotiable,” he contends firmly. “What, you propose to stay lost forever?”
“I’d hope not,” I reply. “But I cannot make any promises. As long as there is a threat to Ella’s life, we will remain hidden.”
“We make up an excuse for why you had to leave so suddenly and hold down the fort until your return. Besides, you need someone here to keep tabs on the Macrillos. How else will you know their comings and goings?”
He’s right. But I can’t, in good faith, ask them to stay here while we work out a plan.
“We continue like it’s business as usual,” Pavel says, appearing to agree with Saint’s idea. “You left Russia on a tip of where to find your mother. This will be a plausible excuse…for now. We’ll keep in contact while you’re away and work out our next move. Saint is right; for appearances’ sake, someone needs to be here.”
“No!” I exclaim, shaking my head firmly. “I will not ask this of you. You’re putting your lives in danger. I cannot allow it.”
“You’re not asking us to do anything,” Saint reasons stubbornly. “This is our choice. We run, and all of this would have been for nothing. I’m sick and tired of the bad guys winning. This ends now.”
“And besides,” Willow says softly. “Who will look after Irina? You can’t take her. That’s not safe for a child.”
“You will look after her?”
Willow nods. “Of course. I’ll look after her like she is my own.”
This is all too much, but I’m running out of time and options. Someone would have discovered Frank’s body by now.
“I can never repay you for everything you’ve done for me. For us,” I add, looking at the three people who’ve always stood by me. “I’m indebted to you for the rest of my life.”
Saint shakes his head, not interested in favors being owed. “You owe us nothing. Just don’t die. And keep her safe. You make contact