only thing I regret about the entire relationship is taking so long to finally open my eyes.
I brush the back of my free hand against Anna’s arm and she startles with a gasp.
“Shh,” I urge. “It’s almost over.”
The fear in her eyes tells me she doesn’t believe me at all, and that fucking kills me. She isn’t meant for this type of life. She needs calm and serene. Hell, she deserves that and more.
“I assume this is the end of it?” I glance at Petrovich who can’t seem to take his eyes off Dani. “You won’t send someone else to hurt Anna?”
“I have no trouble with her or you,” Petrovich says, but he doesn’t make any promises about Dani.
I don’t know exactly how I feel about that, but I’m close to calling it a win. Then Flynn curses under his breath.
“Again, lyubovnik?” Petrovich lowers his gun, crossing one hand over his heart. “Won’t you ever learn?”
“Day slovo, boss, i ya broshu suku,” the second Russian hisses, his aim leaving my head and shifting to Dani on the other side of the room.
“Give the word, boss, and I’ll drop the bitch,” Ignacio whispers with a Russian accent. The man is a savant when it comes to language.
I take the opportunity to lower my own weapon and move Anna to the side. I may not be able to prevent something from happening to Dani, but I’ll be damned if Anna is hurt ever again because of her.
“Net, Ivan. Opusti oruzhiye.”
To my surprise Ivan lowers his weapon even though it looks like he’s biting the inside of his cheek hard enough to taste blood. He’s ready to kill Dani for her disrespect, but Nikolay won’t have it.
“Please?” Dani begs, and when I turn my eyes to her, she’s standing there with a handgun, pointed in her former lover’s direction. Just what we need, an emotional woman who thinks she’s at the end of her rope.
Anna clings to me, quiet sobs escaping her lips, warm, salty tears running down her cheeks. I want to wrap my arms around her, comfort her and promise her everything will be okay, but I can’t. I have to get a handle on this situation before I can drop my guard.
“Pull the trigger,” Petrovich says with his arms splayed at his sides. He looks utterly broken. “Or get the diamonds, Kitten.”
The gun in Dani’s hand trembles uncontrollably, but in a matter of seconds she drops it to the floor with a gasp before turning and pulling a black bag from the open safe behind her.
Tears are streaming down her face as she walks the bag across the room, and I can see right through her. She isn’t upset for the trouble or the harm that has fallen at Anna’s feet. She’s upset that she’s having to relinquish her payday. She’s going to eventually be forced to go home broke, facing a reality she never thought she’d encounter. I don’t feel sorry for her one bit.
Petrovich takes the bag, clasping Dani’s hand in his. He pulls her close, leaning down to brush his lips across her damp cheek. She leans into his touch just briefly, but I don’t miss it. If I had to guess, I’d say she feels more for him than she ever did for me.
“Moya krovat’ ne takaya zhe bez tebya, kotenok,” he whispers before he releases her and turns to leave.
“This is over, Petrovich,” I say to his back as my guys part so they can walk out.
Petrovich spares Dani one more glance before he looks in my direction. A single dip of his head is all I get, but I guess I’ll have to take it.
With a gasping sob, Dani rushes from the living room of the suite and slams the door to the bathroom as she enters.
“What did he—”
“My bed isn’t the same without you, Kitten,” Ignacio answers before I can finish my question.
“That was fucking intense,” Flynn says as he steps further into the room. He doesn’t put his gun away. None of them will until we’re sure that the threat is eliminated.
“Wren?” I ask
Flynn nods. “He saw them coming through the lobby. The guy has got a wicked sense for trouble.”
I knew Wren wouldn’t let his guard down while we were still here. We had a long conversation about the possibility of Petrovich following me to the Maldives like he did to the Four Seasons. It’s why I brought as many guys as were available.
“Seems too easy,” Ignacio says before stepping out