“Yes, didn’t Alek tell you?” A tinge of frustration colored his voice.
“Dr. Marcel?” My voice sounded panicked in my own ears.
“Look, I know the guys wanted to gather more information. Often, in these situations, replacements are sent out. There’s a reason they haven’t walked away from you. Honestly, we don’t have answers to everything yet. There’s a real possibility you could be in danger.”
My hands shook, and my breath caught in my chest as I squeezed my eyes shut.
“Are you there?” The faraway voice of Dr. Marcel barely registered in my head.
“I’ve got to go now,” I said into the phone, feeling numb. I walked to my room and lay down on the bed.
I hung up, and his words played on repeat in my mind.This was a bad dream. You’re asleep,I told myself.
But the ringing of my phone brought me back to reality with a jolt, causing me to scream and jump off my bed. I thought about the encounters I’d had with the regular. He seemed quiet, but now that I thought back, there was a time I thought he’d taken my picture. I brushed it off, feeling like I was overreacting.
Clamping my hand over my mouth, I struggled to keep down the bile that threatened to rise. I was completely aware of what young girls got cased for. I’d lived it. A domino effect of memories overwhelmed me.
In an instant, the voice that had haunted me in my nightmares for eleven years filled my mind, and I was consumed by fear. The masked face took shape in my imagination, and I found myself gasping for air as I struggled to catch my breath.
If Dr. Marcel was right, and this package hadn’t come from Alek, then who? My body and mind snapped, and I flew into survival mode. I raced around, grabbing a duffle bag from my closet. I ran to the living room and quickly cleaned out the safe, dumping all the items in the bag.
I needed to leave and leave now. My body was moving slowly because the pills had taken effect.My bears! I went back inside my room and grabbed them. I looked around frantically, trying to focus.What else, what else, think, damn it, Kinsley.
I needed Owen’s letter; I had put it inside my nightstand drawer. I reached into it, moving everything around. My mind was everywhere, and I was getting frantic. I couldn’t find it.
Screaming, I ripped the drawer out, dumping it. I watched in horror as the corner of the letter caught the flame of the candle. The envelope landed on my bed, and the ensuing whoosh of flames startled me.
I tried to grab the envelope before it was fully engulfed, but the flames were everywhere. I couldn’t get it. I cried out, dropping my duffle bag and looking around for someone to help me.
Realizing it was only me, I sobbed. I backed away as the acrid stench of smoke filled the room. My mind screamed at me to run, but I was hypnotized.
The fire cracked and snapped around me, and my body grew heavy. The flames began a dance of sorts as they swayed and moved, and I matched their rhythm as the heat surrounded me. The edge of my duffle bag caught fire, and black spots flickered before my eyes.
Chapter 48
Aleksandr
All My Fault
Nik, Ivan, and I were making our way to pick up one of our targets. I just wanted to go home, especially after my confession to Marcel. Coming clean, while wildly therapeutic, also brought home the stark reality that I’d violated Kinsley’s trust.
At some point, I’d need to talk to her about it. Marcel was adamant that I allowed him some time to get to know her and establish a relationship first. He was equally adamant that I should not mention her comment about killing herself to Ivan. I once more had to face my guilt at not being more open with Nik.
Marcel had told me that prior to the two of them going up to Skagit, they had thought that maybe Kinsley had hurt herself. If she had, that would have been placed directly on my doorstep. Having seen the devastation that end brings, all I could do was be thankful it didn’t go down that way.
Knowing that Mischa Natalya was supposed to be one of Madame Pierce’s girls, and that Owen Taylor was the man who’d arranged for the placement, we had proof of her true identity. Uncovering the mystery of what happened would be key to knowing how to move forward. For both her and us.
Talking to her was the first step. Marcel agreed we could give it a shot, but if she shut down, we were to back off. He would then approach her. I trusted him as if he were my blood brother. He liked to think that we saved him, but it was the other way around.
He’d saved all our asses, collectively and individually, in more ways than one over the years. I was startled from my memories by Marcel’s ringtone on Ivan’s phone.
“What exactly happened with Kinsley tonight? And why haven’t the three of you had a conversation with the girl about Anton casing her? I swear I have no idea what the hell has come over you all.” Marcel was agitated, and his voice was loud.
“It’s a need-to-know basis, hence the periodic surveillance and alarm system. No one has come to replace him, and we plan to discuss it with her in full detail tomorrow,” Nik said.
“Well, then you should have told me that. I thought she was aware,” Marcel said, exasperated.
“Shit,” I exclaimed. How much more were we going to fuck things up with this girl?
