"That's where you're wrong, Airiana. I live in a life-or-death reality every day. I have for most of my life. I don't want that for you."
"Then walk away from it. Don't tell me it isn't possible. I know a couple of people who have managed."
His hand circled her throat. "Don't put temptation in my path." The pad of his thumb slid back and forth in a mesmerizing rhythm. "It was a mistake to put my claim on you--a compulsion I couldn't resist--and that should tell you something right there. I have to be in control, and you somehow manage to throw all my discipline and control out the window. It isn't safe for either of us."
Airiana did her best not to be hurt, which was absolutely ridiculous. She knew nothing about this man, but at the same time, she'd never been so drawn to another human being. From what she'd witnessed with Rikki and Judith as well as Joley Drake, the Prakenskiis had practically thrown themselves at their women. If this particular Prakenskii was really the man who should have been hers, he wasn't exactly chomping at the bit--and that hurt.
She blinked several times and pulled away from him. "I get it. Let's just get this finished. I really want to go home."
Maxim stood for a long moment staring down at her, not releasing her, and her heart pounded in spite of every effort not to be affected by him. She was close to the women on her farm, but she didn't trust anyone else, and she couldn't put her trust in this man, he'd just told her that. He was taking her to her father--if Theodotus Solovyov was her father. She had to step back from the situation she was in and stop relying on Maxim to save her. She had a brain. She was intelligent. She needed to think for herself.
Maxim knew the moment he told Airiana he'd made a mistake in connecting them together that he'd just blown it big-time. He watched her shut down and draw inward. Those beautiful trusting eyes became shuttered, and her aura changed. She used her air element to hide herself from him, changing who she was, what she was, in the blink of an eye.
Like Maxim, Airiana could be a chameleon, blending into her surroundings and hiding herself in plain sight. She looked amenable and even smiled at him, but it was empty and wrong. All wrong. He cursed under his breath and turned away from her, heading back up the stairs.
After all these years, why would she suddenly cross his path? Why would the other women on the farm be the women his brothers were connected to? What had drawn them all together?
When he was a child he understood very little about politics, but now his life was completely entangled with men who schemed for power and money. The man who had managed to make and then collect orphans for his special training schools had been overthrown, but his son was still very much in power--and he wanted all evidence of those schools buried. The Prakenskiis were part of that evidence.
Right now, Maxim was of use to his country, but the moment his assignment was over, he would be placed on the hit list along with the rest of his brothers. He was an embarrassment, a stain on their past. There was no place in his world for a woman. His brothers might think they were safe, appearing dead to the world, assuming new identities, but they had put every woman on that farm in jeopardy--including Airiana.
He wanted her. Maybe was becoming obsessed with her. When a man had nothing at all, no one at all, when he met that one person, regardless of how long he spent with her, he knew. Maxim knew. She was the one who could live with him. She fit. No matter how much he wanted her, he was not going to tie her life to his and watch his enemies kill her.
He heard the whisper of movement above him, on the upper deck. He needed to keep his mind on his business and not worry about a mythical relationship that could never happen. Kissing her was all he was ever going to have and that had to be enough.
He put his fist up and Airiana froze. Very slowly he put the war bag down and signaled to her to pick it up. It was heavy, but she could manage.
I need to stash you in a safe place while I do a little recon. We need intel.
What does that mean?
Her voice was tight with nerves, but she offered no objection. He almost wished she had. It was another indication that she'd accepted the limitations he had put on them. What had he expected? She might throw herself at him? Tell him she had to be with him or she couldn't go on? He mentally shook his head at the idea, rejecting it. If she'd been that kind of woman, he wouldn't be attracted to her.
No, she'd go on all right. She'd live her life and she'd find a way to be happy. Just as she'd gone on after her mother's murder. She was the kind of woman who protected her younger sister and offered to take four traumatized children into her home so they could stay together and get help.
Airiana Solovyov was a woman who would stand in a crisis, even if she was terrified. She wasn't going to pine over a man who roamed the world at the whim of his puppet masters.
I'm going to talk to a few of the men.
You're going to do what? Do you have a death wish? What if they know about Saeed and the other one?
At least she had genuine concern in her voice. He waited until he was certain they had a clear path to the lifeboats where he intended to stash her. Containers were stacked on the upper deck and he used them for cover. He went first, moving easily across the ship's deck to the nearest container. He looked around the corner as well as up, just to be certain there were no roving guards. He beckoned Airiana to his side.
She was weighed down with the war bag and her assault rifle, but she moved almost as easily as he did, certainly as silent.
Are you ignoring my question on purpose?
If they knew, there would be much more activity than this. Men with guns would be rushing to the lower decks. My guess is the customers pay for privacy and no one goes there unless invited. I'm more worried about the men from the engine room being discovered than Saeed or Galati.
Maxim was considered one of Evan's men. He'd been brought aboard because the "boss" insisted he come along to collect the package and personally deliver her unharmed. The "boss" owned the shipping company, and he had enough money to buy his way to one of the best mercenaries out of Russia he could get.
Evan Shackler-Gratsos had inherited billions from his brother as well as his empire of crime. He would claim, if challenged, of course, that he had no idea what his cargo ships were being used for, and he never gave orders personally.
Gavriil Prakenskii had gotten word to Theodotus Solovyov that his daughter was in danger--that one of the greatest criminal minds had fixated on her. A few years earlier, Solovyov's wife, Elena, had told her lover, a man working for Evan's brother, Stavros, that Theodotus hadn't been the one originally to think up the platform for his work, that his daughter had done so. She had tried to give the data to her latest conquest, but the microchip had been lost for years and then destroyed.
Evan Shackler-Gratsos had been part of his brother's criminal empire all along, and privy to all information Stavros had. Maxim was certain of it, but he had no real proof. He'd been on his trail now for a while, trying to unravel the threads leading back to Evan Shackler-Gratsos without breaking them, or letting the spider realize he was being watched.
Maxim made certain to be available for work, and he wasn't at all surprised when he received the request through unofficial channels. He'd built up his mercenary persona over many years and he had a certain reputation. He'd named an outrageous sum for his work, but the Greek billionaire apparently hadn't even quibbled. Half the money had already been transferred into a numbered account not even Maxim's Russian handlers knew of.
Immediately Maxim had contacted Solovyov to let him know Gavriil had been correct and Airiana Solovyov was in danger. His employment had gotten him aboard the helicopter and assured that he would be the man looking after Airiana. She was a valued commodity, not at all disposable like the young children aboard.
Evan Shackler-Gratsos's orders had made it very clear to Maxim that Airiana was to be kept in excellent health and if he didn't deliver, he would be hunted down and killed. Maxim had wanted to tell them to get in line. It wasn't
like he hadn't been threatened many times before--it was a fairly common occurrence.
Airiana basically thought most people were fundamentally good. That wasn't his experience and he doubted if he would ever reach a place where he could think like her. She didn't jump in the deep end and trust people automatically, but she didn't think or expect the worst of them either. He thought it was amazing that she could believe in him. He'd thrown that carelessly away with his idiotic statement about making a mistake by putting the Prakenskii brand on her.
He moved to the next container, peered around it and signaled her to hurry. The air around them indicated others were close by, but he couldn't see them. The moment Airiana was behind him he rounded the corner of the container with her following close. The lifeboat he wanted to stash her in was close.
The sound of a woman's laughter cut through the air. At once the wind shifted subtly and her scent lingered. Maxim glanced over his shoulder. One moment Airiana had been following him, subdued and determined to get through the entire ordeal without incident, and the next she had abandoned him and was going back along the wall of the last container. She had been the one to shift the wind.
What the hell are you doing? We're very exposed out here and there are far more crew members here than below.
I recognize that laugh. Her voice was tight.
Maxim caught up with her, one hand on her wrist, slowing her down. She had remembered to muffle all sound around her, but she had no idea what danger they were in. Any moment they could be spotted and his careful planning would go out the window.
I know that laugh. Her name is Wanda Payne. When I was growing up she lived next door to us. She was there at least four years. I'd know her laugh anywhere. Why would she be here?
His heart sank. There was only one reason for a neighbor of Airiana's to be aboard the ship. Maxim let his breath out slowly. This was a betrayal. Undercover operatives sometimes went deep. Very deep. She had to have been put in place by the Russian government--or the United States--and if it was the U.S. why would she be aboard this vessel?
We're going to do this slowly and the right way. Drop back behind me. He used his harshest voice more to distract her and force compliance than anything else. He didn't want to move forward and allow her to see this woman. She already had to cope with too many things. Betrayal was always an ugly one.
He peered around the corner of the next container. They were on the ocean side now and the wind was cold. He spotted Cyreck and a woman walking toward them. They stopped to talk again, the woman laughing at something Cyreck said.
Airiana's swift intake of breath alerted him. He spun around and clapped his hand over her mouth, pulling her body tight into his. Don't make a sound.
That woman. The one with Cyreck. That is definitely Wanda Payne. She moved in next door after Mr. Grayson died unexpectedly. A heart attack, I think. Wanda was nice to me. Mom started drinking just after Wanda moved into the neighborhood, and Wanda helped me quite often.
He could imagine how helpful Wanda was. Holding Airiana tight against him, he studied the woman's face. Plastic surgery was often used when an agent assumed a long-term undercover role, but he usually could identify them by the way they moved. It was one of the most difficult things to change.
It took a few minutes before he figured out who she was. Wanda had gone to the same school as he had, although, at the time, her name was different. She was Russian, and she'd gone a completely different path. She'd gotten a taste for the high life, and she broke away from her handlers. She would take work from anyone as long as the paycheck was fat.
Wanda looked up to Cyreck, laughing, flirting, clearly enjoying herself. She wasn't a prisoner, more, he was certain, she helped get the children aboard. He shifted the wind just enough that they could hear the conversation.
"Next time, Cy, I promise, I'll bring one just like her for you." Wanda laughed.
Cyreck grinned at her. "I'll hold you to it. You only brought two for the crew and they're getting used up. The captain is especially hard on them."
Wanda's smile faded. "He tossed one of them overboard a few minutes ago because she wouldn't cooperate with him. What did he expect? She's been working since the moment she came aboard."
Airiana stiffened. Maxim didn't let her go. The tension in her body told him she was already figuring out just what her old neighbor was doing on board the ship and whom she worked for.
Be still, he hissed into her mind when she began to struggle.
She had to have been planted there to spy on us, Airiana said, fury welling up.
I know, honey, but it won't do us any good if we're caught. Relax, we'll deal with Wanda, I promise. She's Russian and a traitor. I should have known she'd end up working for a man like Evan. She likes money and has no scruples.
You know her? You know that horrible woman?
He felt mist on the back of his hand, the one covering her mouth. Tiny drops--he glanced down to see tears on her lashes and tracking down her face.
I've kept every promise I've made to you, Airiana, he said, knowing he was a fool, but unable to help himself. Wanda will not get off this ship alive.
They're talking so casually about the captain throwing a woman overboard. There must be a second woman held somewhere close by.
He nodded his head slowly. He should have known that they would bring women aboard for the crew, particularly the captain. If they entertained other clients at sea, he would insist on some kind of compensation along with money.
I could send a wind and knock her overboard, Airiana declared. Maybe they'd stop the ship and try to get her back.
You know they won't. No one is that important to them--unless it's you. I doubt that any of them wants to be the one to tell their boss that something happened to you.
He deals in weapons, human trafficking and top secret defense systems? He's a busy man.
He runs the shipping company, and his biker club runs drugs. They do it all.
He removed his hand from her mouth, but didn't let go of her. Cyreck and Wanda were once more on the move, heading toward a storage container just a few feet from the one they hid behind.
Wanda took out a key and unlocked the door. She swung it open and began swearing. Cyreck looked in. It was too much of an opportunity to pass up. Maxim released Airiana and put a finger to his lips. He moved in silence around the container, right out into the open, walking up to both parties as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Cyreck glanced over his shoulder and then turned back to look inside the container again. Maxim could see the dead woman inside. She'd slit her own wrists with a piece of glass. Wanda kicked at the woman's feet. Cyreck bent to get a closer look.
Maxim shoved his knife through the back of Wanda's neck hard, spun her around and slit her throat, throwing her body on top of the dead woman's all in one continuous movement. Cyreck jumped back as Wanda's body fell nearly on top of him.
"What the hell, Maxim. You can't just kill her because you don't like her. Sheesh. Now I've got to tell the captain we don't have any women available. He'll have to take the teenager, and he hates kids. He wants a woman that knows what she's doing."
Maxim palmed his knife and threw it, the blade penetrating Cyreck's chest and slicing deep into his heart. Cyreck's eyes went wide with shock and he looked down at the knife sticking out of his chest in total disbelief.
"No worries," Maxim assured. "I'll tell the captain myself. You just rest here with your friends."
He shut the container door and locked it. Just to be on the safe side, he drew the air through the holes, so that Cyreck couldn't breathe if the knife wound hadn't killed him. He waited a few minutes before he joined Airiana.
Do you think she killed my mother? Was she capable of torturing her like that? Airiana asked. Mom would have opened the door for her, let her in, asked her if she wanted coffee. Wanda knew what music my mother played when she was drinking. She could have set the scene easily.
Every one of the op
eratives had been trained in torture. He was very skilled. He didn't use those skills, but he certainly knew just about every possible way to hurt and then kill a human being. In his opinion, Wanda was a psychopath. She didn't have any morals and it didn't bother her to inflict pain on others. He nodded his head slowly.
If she lived there for four years, what would have triggered her to suddenly go after your mother?
I stopped talking to my mother about my work when she began drinking so heavily. She had nothing to pass on to my father, if that's what she really was doing. Could that have something to do with it?
He heard the guilt in her voice. He hated this. Hated all of it. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into him, his hand cradling the back of her head.
That day, after you found your mother, what was the first thing you did?
I screamed and screamed. Then I ran outside. I couldn't stand the smell inside the house. I called Westwood at the school and told him what happened and that I was going over to my neighbor's. He said they'd be right there. They sent a helicopter, the police, an ambulance, everyone. I ran to Wanda's and told her how I found my mother. She said she'd go check, just to be certain.
She didn't know you'd called this person, Westwood, did she?
Airiana shook her head.
That's what saved you. She was gaining your trust by going into the house. She would have taken you away that day, but they got there too fast and they took you back to the school.
You're saying Wanda tortured and killed my mother.
I believe that's probably what happened, yes. And your mother's death wasn't sanctioned by the Russian government. Wanda was already working for someone else--most likely Evan's brother, Stavros.
They'd been out in the open too long. He had to stash her quickly and find out the lay of the land. He urged her back toward the lifeboat that was lashed up on deck. It was covered and had supplies in it. The captain made certain it was always well stocked and that the mechanical rigging was well-oiled and working perfectly. That was his escape should there be need.