CATALINA
I pushed awayNikolay’s hand as soon as he dug the small bomb out of my arm, uncaring that I was bleeding everywhere, my feet moving before I could think.
Mikhail caught me. I turned around, screaming and hitting him.
“Let me go. We have to follow them. We have to get Damien back!” I cried, struggling in his arms. He wrapped them firmly around me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, when neither of them moved.
“We have a car tailing them, okay, baby? We’re going to get Damien back.”
I paused. “What?”
He nodded. “Someone is following them. We’re going to get him back to us.”
“You promise?” I asked.
He nodded. “I promise.”
Hope bloomed in my chest for the first time since I watched Damien get in the back of the car. My heart calmed marginally.
I looked out to the space the car that had Damien disappeared.
Please let him be okay. Please.
I would give up anything for that to be the case, even my freedom.
My hands trembled at my side, and I couldn’t tell if it was from the blood loss or the adrenaline coursing through my system.
“Princess, what’s this?” Nikolay asked, drawing my attention back to him.
He was holding the sweater Leo had put on me before he strapped the bomb vest on. In his other hand was a piece of paper.
I thought Leo was trying to make up for the betrayal, as if trying to keep me warm would really make up for it.
I shook my head. “I don’t know what the paper is. Leo gave me the sweater.”
Mikhail tore off his shirt and wrapped it around my arm to stop the bleeding.
“What is it?” Mikhail asked.
“It’s a location for a strip club in Texas.”
“What’s there?” I asked, wondering why Nikolay looked like he had seen a ghost.
“My kids.”
I froze.
“Are you sure?” Mikhail asked.
Nikolay shrugged. “Leo could be lying.”
“You think Leo wrote this down?” I asked.
Nikolay nodded. “You said he put the sweater on you.”
“It could also be a ploy. Stall us long enough so we couldn’t get to Damien in time,” Mikhail said.