Thursday. Learning Center, Arlington, VA.HALEY'S LEGS AND LUNGS burned as she ran clear across the campus.Zasha loved the playground under the trees.How many times had Haley brought her there while Ivana went to the car to rest and sleep?Haley squinted and counted the small figures scaling the equipment ahead under the shade.Six.None of them were Zasha. None of them had on the right clothes or the hair was wrong. Still Haley went a few yards farther, peering into the cool shade.No Zasha."Shit," Haley muttered and turned in a circle.She had to find Zasha and Ivana first. The look on Konstantin's face? The death stare? Haley feared for Ivana's life if Konstantin found them first.There had to be a logical reason for all of this.Where else could Zasha and Ivana be?Campus security had mobilized to cover all entrances and a few to the main parking lot, but until police arrived-if they came at all-there was still too much ground to cover.Calling Konst
Thursday. Home, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN PACED THE LIVING room, taking care to step over the line of stuffed animals each time. He didn't know why Zasha had them there, but he wasn't going to fuck it up.He wanted to be in the bedroom, soothing Zasha, but he couldn't deny that this job was best done by Haley. She had become Zasha's security, the person who made Zasha feel safest. And Haley was going to leave them.That was not today's problem.He glanced down the hall at Ivana's open door.Konstantin had told her to go in there and wait until he could speak to her. At least that was what his head had wanted to say. He was pretty sure he'd snapped, "Get out of my fucking sight," at her when she'd tried speaking to him. He'd also told the rest of his security to cool it in his condo, out of Zasha's sight, but still close enough they could be useful if anything happened.His rage was simmering and very close to boiling over. He had to stop, stare out the window and draw in
Konstantin studied Ivana in those moments.She smoothed her hands down her skirt, picked at some lint, but she didn't look at him.One of the few things his father had said that Konstantin took to heart was that an employee who couldn't meet your gaze was no longer loyal.So who had Ivana's loyalty now? And when had that happened?"Here we go." Haley passed around three bottles of water.Konstantin set his down without taking a drink.Both Haley and Ivana twisted off the caps and drank.Haley glanced from him to Ivana, then sighed. "Want to explain today, Ivana?"Ivana looked up at Konstantin then and began speaking fast and furious in Russian.He held up a hand. "English."While he understood her, he needed Haley to be part of this. He needed her reasonable mind to weigh in when he would act out of emotion.Ivana sighed and muttered something under her breath. "Your mother. She wanted to meet her grandchild.""Wait, what?" Haley planted her hands on her hips.
Thursday. Home, Arlington, VA.HALEY WAS READY TO drop. Her face hurt so much from the continued smiling, but Zasha had needed the unending cheer to keep her own spirits up. Haley hoped that after everything, the kiddo was able to have a peaceful night's sleep.She paused outside Ivana's darkened room and stared into the shadows.Security had come to get some of her things and move her into one of the rentals. Konstantin owned several condos in the building and rented them out. They were lucky the tenants of one had moved out two weeks prior and the place was staged to show to potential renters. Ivana would be staying there tonight along with two guards.The security team also gone through every inch of her room looking for the missing picture from last night, but hadn't found it.Haley reached into the room, grasped the doorknob and closed the door.Zasha already wanted to know where Nanny Ivana was. Haley had distracted her, but how long would that last? Zasha was a br
Friday. Home, Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN WAS UP EARLIER than normal. He hadn't been able to make himself sleep. Every time he closed his eyes it was a gamble what he would see.Haley's face.Or his mother's.His memories of the woman who'd born him were hazy. More than anything else, he remembered how she'd made him feel.Apprehension.Gut churning dread.Outright fear.He wouldn't wish any of that on his daughter. There was no way he'd allow that woman into their lives if she thought she could treat Zasha the same way she'd treated him.Ivana was more like a mother to him, but she'd always been just a little distant. Because she'd felt her loyalty was to his mother? He'd always assumed that was just how people of that generation were.Had Ivana still been loyal to his mother while in his employ? What were the chances Ivana knew where his mother had been all these years?He checked the time.Six.Still too early to have another chat with Ivana, but he was gr
HALEY WAS AWAKE BEFORE her alarm.She hadn't slept much or well, so it wasn't a surprise when her eyes popped open half an hour too early. Her thoughts bounced around, from the events surrounding Ivana to the kiss with Konstantin and right back to the fact that she wasn't going anywhere.How was she supposed to deal with him now?The girls hadn't been any help.After the initial outburst happened and they all got on the video call things had devolved. They each had their own stressors. Haley's eventful day was, in the grand scheme, normal. The women who did what they did faced down real threats. They didn't just wear a gun on their hip and hang around. If someone hired them they needed protection.Which was exactly why Haley would remain Zasha's primary security, though Haley didn't think Konstantin would like her plan.She got up and dressed, putting more thought than usual into selecting her clothes.Normally, Haley wanted to appear as inconspicuous as possible. Her war
Friday. Rose House. Arlington, VA.TASHA CLOSED HER EYES and inhaled the delicate aroma of her morning brew. It was otherwise perfect, save for Nikolai hovering in the doorway.She sighed, exasperated, and set the cup down. "Yes, Nikolai?"The young man practically leapt over the threshold into the dining room. "There's a message for you."Tasha looked at Nikolai for a moment, but he didn't proceed. She waved her hand. "And what does it say?""Sorry, it's from Ivana. She says your son wants to have lunch.""Lunch." Tasha snorted. "This is what you're interrupting my breakfast for?"Nikolai blinked a few times. "I, uh, thought this was important."She rolled her eyes.Konstantin was a piece of a bigger picture."Wait until ten, oh, sixteen? Keep it random. At ten sixteen tell him I'll be delighted to have lunch with him, but it needs to be early. Say eleven thirty." It was fine and all for her son to make this move, but Tasha would remain in control."O-okay," N
Friday. Arlington, VA.KONSTANTIN TAPPED HIS FINGERS on the door handle of the car.He was early, but he wasn't an idiot. There was no way he was going inside the restaurant before eleven thirty. He was also woefully aware that he was out of his depth.His father was former KGB.His mother had managed to hide all these years without getting caught or raising suspicion.Konstantin was just a businessman and single father. Yes, he knew how these people operated and understood them, but he wasn't like them. That was his perceived flaw. He hadn't been a right fit for that world and everyone had known it.His phone chimed.He picked it up and read the message.Zasha, Ivana and their security detail had made it to their destination.Good.That was one detail he wouldn't have to worry about. The most difficult thing had been getting the laundry company to agree with their exit strategy. Konstantin had convinced the owner to allow his daughter and her detail to use their