He lifted a hand over his shoulder in an approximation of a wave, just as Cristian had done when he walked away from their first, anonymous meeting. “See you tomorrow night, Mr. Slava.”
Chapter Ten
A few weeks later, Bea called. Atlas eyed her name on his screen and braced himself for her interrogation of how he was resettling at Cristian’s side.
“I’ll be out of the office this weekend, so if I don’t answer my phone, don’t freak out,” Bea told him breezily when he finally picked up.
“You’re never out of the office,” Atlas said, trying to adjust to a new conversation that didn’t require him to defend himself. “What the hell’s going on?”
“Mr. Vladislavic wanted an agent to attend an event with him in Manhattan.”
“Why you?” He scrambled to think of another option. “Isn’t Todd available?”
“Todd’s in Rochester for that political fundraiser and everyone else is in the middle of an assignment. It’s too short notice to adjust our current contracts.”
“I could go with him instead,” Atlas offered. He knew he was being too obvious about keeping her away from the job, but the thought of Bea alone in New York City with a vampire as dangerous as Decebal made desperation an appropriate response.
“No. Mr. Vladislavic and I agreed you should remain with Mr. Slava until this is all sorted. I don’t mind stepping in, since it’ll be a short trip.”
“Are you expecting trouble?”
“It’s unlikely,” Bea hedged.
“But not out of the question,” Atlas said.
She didn’t respond to his statement, which was confirmation of his suspicions. “How are you doing with Mr. Slava? Have you run into any more problems?”
Sometimes it was what Bea didn’t say that mattered more than what she did. Atlas knew this, just like he knew that her silence on the matter meant she was more worried about the job than she was willing to let on.
Her quiet avoidance of discussing it with him stuck long after their call ended. Bea was damn good at her job. Going up against known enemies like the Wharrams was risky, but Atlas knew Decebal would warn Bea of such threats, even if he had to do it in veiled words. It was the outside forces, the enemies Decebal wouldn’t expect, who posed the greatest threat. If Decebal was attacked by humans, there was no telling how he might react, or who he may suspect for betraying him. And Bea would be right in the line of fire.
The last time Atlas had spoken to Jasper almost a week ago, the man said his employer was planning to move against Decebal as soon as an opportunity presented itself. If they were aware of Decebal’s travel plans, there was a chance they’d act within the next few days. It was a risk Atlas couldn’t allow.
He paced his living room while his call connected. After two rings, Jasper answered. “This is Jasper Rhodes.”
“It’s Atlas Kinkaid.”
“Mr. Kinkaid. I didn’t expect to hear from you again, especially so soon. Your information on Mr. Slava’s quotidian activities was...detailed, but we are still determining its value.”
“I wasn’t calling about Cristian’s schedule. Are you aware Decebal Vladislavic is going to an event in New York City in a few days?” He turned sharply on his heel and continued pacing.
“There has been some talk of his attendance,” Jasper said.
A tight ball of fear and anxiety had burrowed under his ribs and Jasper’s quiet breathing on the other end of the line offered no comfort. Atlas grimaced at the silence and continued, “My sister is accompanying Decebal to the event, since none of her other agents were available. She has no idea what she might be walking into.”
“Consider Decebal’s attendance a coup in itself, Mr. Kinkaid,” Jasper soothed. “He’s been elusive since the incident at Hahn Lake. He must feel confident in your abilities to protect his son if he’s willing to travel at this time. You are single-handedly creating opportunities for us to confront him.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Atlas said flatly. “The only thing that matters to me is my sister’s safety. Your employer has no intention of moving against him during this meeting?”
“We are considering multiple options. After all, there are many factors we must consider as we plan—”
“You aren’t answering me, Mr. Rhodes. Does your employer have any intention of confronting Decebal?”
“Of course.”
“When?”
“I’m afraid I cannot answer that. She is waiting for the right opportunity. You are aware of what he is, Mr. Kinkaid. It would be foolish to confront him before holding the correct collateral. No one would make it out alive.”