108

LINDEN

My team just landed two hours ago from London. Estelle agreed to stay with her father, which made me happy with her decision.

I only took a quick shower in the hotel and changed into a white shirt and dark blue pants before meeting Ilya.

As fear thickened my throat, I forced a deep breath as I walked into the local bar in Austin. I entered alone, but I trusted my men to do their job.

I roamed my eyes and quickly found a white male around my age with buzz-cut dark-brown hair sitting at the corner. He was confident and wasn’t facing the door. Judging by his wide shoulders and broad back, it was indeed Ilya. The only image I had of him was from Gustav.

I didn’t want to know how he got into the country undetected.

“May I join you?”

His gaze lifted from the half-full pint of beer on the table. He stood up and offered his hand. Ilya didn’t smile, but his eyes expressed recognition and appreciation.

I shook it firmly before I joined him on the table and motioned and gestured a