And it was only going to get worse. Because I realized right then that I’d finally found the burrow I’d been hunting for my entire life, and it wasn’t in Texas or Vegas. It wasn’t a place at all. It was a person. If I was with Danny, I was safe. But he was the one person I couldn’t be with. And so it didn’t matter where I went in the world or how hard I hunted, I’d never feel that securely protected ever again.

A few moments later, we turned into an underground parking garage…one where Yuri had to show his ID before the barrier would open. The second car arrived and Yuri showed all eight of us to a private elevator guarded by two more bodyguards. They relieved the team of their guns and patted us down before allowing us into the elevator. We were whisked up to the top floor where another two bodyguards led us down a hallway to the penthouse. Luka’s dad took his security seriously.

Huge double doors of polished oak opened onto a double height living room. A fire roared in an oversized fireplace, leather armchairs and couches the color of blood arranged around it, and a large bookshelf was filled with old, green-and-gold books, the titles all in Russian. The place was incredible and this wasn’t even Vasiliy’s main home.

Luka was reclining on a couch, his arms spread along the back. His girlfriend was sitting sideways, leaning back against him so that her head was on his chest. It looked so idyllically cozy and special that my chest ached. I want that.

Luka’s girlfriend jumped up and hurried over to me. “God, look at you! You’ve been out there dressed like this?” She shook her head. “Let me see if I can find you something to wear.”

Luka got up and stretched, then came over. “I take you to see father,” he told us.

His broken English made me think of something and I caught Luka’s girlfriend before she left. “Won’t we need you to translate?”

She shook her head. “No, Vasiliy’s English is excellent. And getting better.” She gave Luka a sly look. “He has been practicing to impress his American girlfriend.”

Luka marched over to her, grabbed her by the wrist and growled a question at her in Russian. I saw her chest rise as her breathing sped up. She playfully stuck her tongue out at him.