33
IVAN
I lie back and stare up at the ceiling. It’s impossible to sleep knowing Cora is in another bed.
On the phone with her, there was a moment where I imagined it was all real. Where the scene played out in my mind the way I wanted it to, with my hand doing all the work while Cora fell apart underneath me.
Then we had to hang up and the reality of my empty room came crashing down on me.
Based on what I overheard from the dinner conversation, we have mere weeks to get Cora out of Alexander McAllister’s house before she’s going to be married to Mikhail. Yet I can’t shake the feeling that something isn’t right.
Since I can’t sleep anyway, I pull out my phone and open up the live audio feed.
Cora has been wearing the necklace to bed. In the silence of her room, I can hear the soft thud of her heartbeat and her deep, even breathing. It’s like white noise. The sound of her continued life, even if she isn’t with me, is calming.
I close my eyes and listen to her inhales and exhales, to the staticky murmurs as she shifts beneath the blankets or rolls over.
Slowly, I settle. My eyes close and I match her breathing pace, letting my body sink into the mattress and drift closer to sleep.
Then the peace shatters.
There is banging and voices. Cora is panting and panicked. I’m out of bed and slipping into pants before I even know what is happening.
Whatever it is, it’s wrong.
Screw the thoroughly drawn-out plan and the mitigation of risks. Fuck it all.
I’m going after her. Now.
Cora is talking to her mom, but I know there are more people there. I can hear it in Cora’s voice that there is a bigger threat.
Finally, that threat reveals itself.
“If you can’t control your daughter, then I will,” Mikhail spits.
I clench my teeth as I tear through the mansion towards the security wing. Since Jorden has all but recovered, Yasha has taken to sleeping in the security wing of the house. He has been monitoring the situation here with Francia and working with me in every spare second to map out exactly how to get in and out of Alexander McAllister’s mansion with Cora in tow without getting anyone killed.
“It’s actually great news,” Mikhail continues. “You and I are getting married. Tonight.”
It takes all of my restraint not to hurl my phone at the wall.
“Fuck,” I hiss.
Tonight.
For all I know, there’s a minister standing directly behind him, paperwork in hand. This wedding could be seconds or hours away, I have no idea.
But that doesn’t change the goal: I need to get to Cora now.
I listen as Cora argues and fights back. Pride swells in me as she refuses to leave with them, but it descends into panic. There is more banging and shouting. I have no idea what is happening. Is she being attacked? Is she okay?
I break into a jog, the phone held close to my ear so I can hear every second of audio.
Finally, I hear Cora’s voice again.
“I’m not going with you. You can’t force me into this. You can’t drag me out of bed in the middle of the night and have a wedding.”
“Can’t I?” Mikhail hisses. “I’m not sure if you heard me the first time, but I can do whatever the fuck I want.”
“The fuck you can,” I growl.
I don’t bother knocking on Yasha’s door. There’s no time. I throw it open and crash into his room.
“Cora is in trouble. We have to go. Now!” I bark.
Yasha yelps and yanks his comforter up, covering himself…
And Jorden.
On any normal day, I’d comment on the fact that Jorden is naked in Yasha’s bed. I’d have a good time giving him shit about it. But right now, I have no interest.
“Cora is in trouble,” I repeat. “We have to go.”
Jorden hugs the comforter to her chest. “What’s happening?”
Cora answers for me, the audio picking up her muffled cries. “I can’t breathe! Get off of me!”
My stomach churns painfully. She’s in danger and I can’t help her. I’m still fifteen minutes away.
I should have grabbed her when we were in that bathroom and ran. Fuck the guards. Fuck everything else. I should have risked it all and taken her then.
Now, it might be too late.
Yasha curses and jumps out of bed. I turn away as he pulls on clothes and then reaches for his phone. Without saying anything to me, he makes a call.
“Rooster,” he says, “it’s Yasha. We need backup.”
Through the necklace, I can hear Alexander demanding that Cora cooperate. She promises him that she will.
I’m going to kill them. Alexander, Mikhail, Konstantin… Hell, even Cora’s mother. I’ll kill them all and leave their heads on pikes in the lawn. I’ll go medieval on their asses. Let everyone know what happens when you mess with Ivan Pushkin’s woman.
Yasha turns back to the bed, grabs Jorden’s face, and presses a quick, tender kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you later.”
Then my best friend strides towards me, purpose in his every step. “Let’s go get your girl, Ivan.”