Chapter 10 - Fire at the Lake
“Water!”
Nikolai smashed a window.
Smoke filled the boathouse.
Dmitri dragged Anton toward the opening.
Elias kicked through a side panel.
Vera helped Elena.
The flames climbed fast.
Too fast.
Nikolai lifted Vera through the broken window and jumped after her.
They hit freezing lake water.
For several terrifying seconds she could not breathe.
Then his arm caught her.
“Vera!”
“I’m here.”
They swam.
Behind them, the boathouse exploded.
Everyone survived.
Anton was rushed to a private hospital.
The copied server data survived because Dmitri had uploaded it before the fire.
For the first time, Vale had made a serious mistake.
Federal agents received the files.
Arrests began.
Banks froze accounts.
News organizations exposed companies.
Vale disappeared.
Nikolai remained beside Vera.
Neither spoke about the kiss.
Not until that night.
Vera found him outside the hospital.
“You almost died again.”
“So did you.”
“I’m noticing a pattern.”
“I dislike it.”
She smiled.
Then became serious.
“What happens when this ends?”
He understood.
“You return to your life.”
“My cottage?”
“If you want.”
“My job?”
“If you want it.”
“And you?”
“I remain whatever you choose me to be.”
Vera studied him.
“You’re very bad at romance.”
“I suspected.”
“You sound like a contract.”
“I understand contracts.”
She laughed.
Then kissed him.
This time he kissed her back.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Nothing about it resembled possession.
That mattered to Vera.
He could command rooms.
Men.
Companies.
But not her.
And somehow that was exactly why she trusted him.
Later, Daniel joined them.
He had news.
Vale had been located.
A private airfield.
They drove there.
The aircraft was still on the runway.
Federal vehicles approached from the opposite side.
Vale stood beside the plane.
Cornered.
He raised his hands.
For one moment Vera thought it was finished.
Then Vale smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
He held up a phone.
“There’s one last account.”
Daniel stiffened.
“What account?”
“The one Elias opened.”
Everyone turned toward Elias.
His face changed.
Vale laughed.
“Ask your brother what he did while he belonged to Helian.”
Vera looked at Elias.
“What is he talking about?”
Elias slowly lowered his weapon.
“I was going to tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
He looked at Nikolai.
Then at Daniel.
Finally at Vera.
“Vale didn’t choose you because of the ledger.”
Vera’s stomach dropped.
“Then why?”
May you like
Elias swallowed.
“Because eleven years ago, I gave him your name.”
