Boris hoping he would get the picture.
Max was scared of rats and mice. If he saw one come to close he would shoot. We didn’t need to have bullets bouncing all over to sewer today. If he thought they were cats, then I would let my poor brother keep that lovely theory. And I wouldn’t be the one to tell him, until after we got out of here.
Something scratched near us.
Max blew out smoke. “Creepy cats.”
“Yeah.” I cleared my throat. “It’s all the darkness that makes them that way.”
Thankfully, as Boris had said, it took us no more than ten minutes to get to the end.
I wondered what Kaz was thinking. He knew I couldn’t get on the plane. The people monitoring him would have only spotted me going into the parked garage. Perhaps, he figured I’d found some hotel near the area.
When we arrived at the spot, Boris stopped us. “I’ll check to make sure everything is clear. And then I’ll help you up.”
“Good.” Max nodded. “I’ll need the help.”
I gently shoved him. “He was talking to me, Max.”
He snorted.
Boris climbed up the ladder, shoved at the sewer cap, and climbed out.
When Boris disappeared above, Max whispered in my ear, “Yo, you need to watch out for him.”
“Why?”
“Boris likes you.”
“I doubt it.”
“Trust me. I know these things.” Max shined the light on the ladder. “How long has he been up there?”
“I feel like it’s been a minute.”
“More than that.”
“Boris hasn’t said anything. Do you think we should go?” I got on the ladder and looked down at Max.
“Hell yes,” he said. “These cats keep sniffing at my ankles and shit. I think they’re horny. I have to get out of here.”
“Pussy.” I climbed up.
“You damn right. I’m definitely a pussy. I hate sewers and things that live in sewers.”
I got to the top of the ladder and climbed out.
When I stood, shock hit me.
Now I know why Boris didn’t yell back.
Pavel had a gun to Boris’s head along with another guy who pointed it at his back.
How did they know what we were doing? Does Kaz have microphones in my car?
My answer came, when I looked beyond Pavel.
Holding flowers, Kaz walked over to the hole. A hint of apology covered his face. He didn’t make a move toward me. Instead, he stayed there like a silent lion—watching, studying, and devouring me with his gaze.
While I wore blue pajamas and now sewer-dingy sneakers, he had put on a new suit. It was charcoal gray and as fine as silk. The shirt was white as new snow. The tie royal blue.
His dark voice left him. “Not only have I fallen in love with a beautiful and smart woman. Evidently, you are some sort of hide-and-seek champion.”
Stunned, I cleared my throat. “Maybe, you should stop making me hide.”
“How did you find me?”
“Your phone kept moving. It took Misha some time, but he figured out why.”
“What do you want?”
“We should talk, mysh.” His voice sent shivers up my spine, stopping my heart inside my chest as if he controlled the oxygen it needed to beat. “I missed you.”
Max appeared from the hole and spotted Kaz. “Oh, come on! You mean I walked through that damn tunnel for nothing?”
And then I realized that some of my men circled the area and they had all of their guns out. Meanwhile, Kaz’s people aimed their guns at them. It was quite the show.
Kaz gestured to them. “Perhaps, if your people put their weapons away, mine will.”
Max left the hole, stood next to me, and gestured to Kaz. “Nice flowers, man. Roses and lilies. Looks like an expensive breed.”
I turned to my men. “Go ahead and put down your guns! It’s okay.”
They lowered their weapons.
His did the same.
Kaz walked over and handed me the bouquet. “I like how they protect you. Although if they point guns at me again, they may not see the next day.”
I didn’t grab the flowers. “Did you pull back the bombs?”
His expression hardened. “Can we talk? I have a table reserved at the bar a few blocks down from here.”
“It’s in Kapotnya?”
“Yes.” He took another step toward me, closing the small amount of space that had been between us. His warm scent surrounded me. “Will you come?”
“You didn’t answer my question about the bombs.”
“I didn’t?”
“You’re dancing circles around the truth. Spinning and twirling. Be careful. I might trip and slam you to the ground.”
He gave me a weak smile. “And I might like it. At least you’ll be touching me.”
“Kaz. . .the