nodded and wiped the sweat from his face. “You are right. I will shower and go to Luke and Sam.”
Evette smiled and opened her mouth as if to speak, but closed it and followed the sound of his phone ringing from the side of the room.
Roman stalked to it.
Unknown number.
“Is it Kir?” Evette asked from behind him.
“No.” He slid his thumb across the screen to answer. “Hello?”
“Mr. Kozlov.” A man’s voice. One he didn’t recognize.
He faced Evette and for the first time since lunch the day before, his heart kicked with something not fueled by dread. “Who is this?”
The man cleared his throat. “I am the person who has someone you hold very dear.”
Roman turned to Evette and motioned for her to follow as he strode out of the gym to the main house. The fact that he kept his voice level while he ate up the precious distance to Sergei’s office was nothing short of a miracle. “You have Bonnie.”
“I do. She’s very...” The man paused a moment and a wry smile crept into his voice, “opinionated.”
Roman cut to the chase and stormed through the kitchen to the stairway beyond. “Release her to me unharmed, and I will spare you.”
It was a lie and, given the answering chuckle Roman received, the man knew it, too. “Come now, Mr. Kozlov. I am not like the amateurs you deal with every day. It may bolster your confidence to believe you can hurt me or my men, but we both know I’ve already proven that taking me out will be a challenge.”
Nearly to the top of the stairs, Roman growled his response. “Do not underestimate me. I have much experience when it comes to challenges.”
“Yes. You and your colleagues all hail from Russia and grew up in a life similar to mine. My men tell me you have quite a reputation as an assassin. But it is hard for you to kill someone you don’t know how to find, isn’t it?”
Roman barged into Sergei’s office, drawing both Kir and Sergei’s attention at once. Roman motioned for Kir to mute Knox’s voice coming through the speaker phone then answered with all the certainty in him. “I will find you, and when I do, hell will rain down on you and your men. Or you can simply give me my bride now and save all of your lives.”
The man sighed. A long suffering one that said he was weary of the whole ordeal altogether. “Let’s not beat our chests. It’s an unnecessary action considering we both want something and are in a position to make a simple exchange.”
“And what is it you want?”
Sergei stood slowly and rounded his desk.
Kir typed something on his keyboard, then reclined against his seat back and crossed his arms in front of him, watching Roman.
“You want your fiancée. I want her computer and for you and your family to stay out of my affairs. Completely.”
“And her family?”
“If you can keep them in line and out of my business, then I’ll give them to you as well. Though, if I hear one word about either of them talking, they won’t live long enough to speak again.”
The scheme Bonnie had overheard her brother and father talking about the day they’d been taken—clearly, he’d decided to strong-arm someone who not only didn’t like being backed into a corner, but had the means to cut the head off a threatening snake. “They will not talk. If they do, you are welcome to them.”
The man grunted. “Yes, I can see where you’d be less inclined to offer them your protection. Idiots.” He paused a moment and movement sounded in the background. “There is a warehouse on Jourdan Road. The street address is 6202, but there is a gate at the far end. It will be left open tonight. Be there promptly at midnight with the computer in your possession and we will make our exchange.”
“We will be there.”
“By we I assume Mr. Petrovyh and Mr. Vasilek will be accompanying you.”
“Of course. This is my pakhan’s city. Why would he not be present?” It was a subtle dig—a reminder of who was on home court and who was not.
“Hmm.” Another sigh and what sounded like plastic castors on concrete. “That’s a brave risk, the three of you attending together. Though, not surprising. As you will, Mr. Kozlov. We’ll see you tonight. Midnight.”
With that, the call went silent.
As soon as Roman lowered the phone from his ear, Sergei engaged. “What do they want?”
“Bonnie’s computer. He gave