Spirit Bound - Christine Feehan [38]
“We’ll see,” he said, uncaring that she heard him. It was a warning and he meant it.
Walking along the wooden sidewalk with the wind blowing a fine mist across his face, and Judith’s hand tucked into the crook of his arm, he had the strangest feeling of peace. He allowed himself to indulge in fantasy for that last few feet before reaching her car.
“This is mine,” she announced, putting her hand on the hood of her Mini Cooper. She sounded as regretful as he felt.
Stefan stepped in front of her, effectively preventing her from walking around to the driver’s side. “I’m coming out to your farm tomorrow to drive the tractor and I’m bringing lunch.”
She took a breath and pushed at the hair blowing over her shoulder into her face. “You know that could get us into trouble, don’t you?”
He nodded slowly. “I’ll keep you safe.”
She took a breath and nodded. “All right then. I’m counting on you.”
His first step toward being that man and he already knew he was going to blow it. If the street hadn’t been filled with her friends and Ivanov hadn’t been lying in wait up in a tower, he would be kissing her senseless.
Stefan forced himself out of her way, almost afraid to let her go, fearing she would slip away. Truthfully, he was even more afraid of himself—that the shadow man would come to his senses and simply disappear into thin air, leaving only Thomas behind.
He went with Judith into the street, and opened the car door for her. She stood for a moment just looking at him and he realized she was every bit as afraid for their moment to end as he was.
“Thank you for a strange but rather wonderful evening, Thomas,” Judith said and slipped into the car.
“You’re very welcome,” he said as he closed her door and patted it before giving her a friendly wave and walking back to the wooden sidewalk, taking danger with him.
5
STEFAN stood on the edge of the sidewalk watching until Judith’s car was safely down the street, lights disappearing as she rounded a corner before he turned back toward the gallery. He let his gaze sweep the rooftops without lifting his head. In the darkness, it would be impossible to spot Petr Ivanov. The exterminator didn’t make mistakes. He also wasn’t much of a long distant assassin. He liked up-close work, rather than a rifle.
Keeping his steps unhurried and measured, shoulders straight, Stefan strolled down the main street, checking out the various storefronts of the shops he passed, as if he were simply acquiring knowledge of Sea Haven’s community. The ocean rolled and sprayed across from him, the windows of the stores reflecting the shimmering moon as it emerged from behind a veil of clouds. His years of experience gave him the discipline needed to take his time, to maintain an even pace.
If Stefan didn’t believe his brother was dead, then neither did Petr. Ivanov had written the report on Lev’s death in an effort to make everyone believe the hunt for Lev was over. The exterminator had lost the trail here in Sea Haven. Stefan was certain now he was nothing more than bait for the assassin to finish the job.
The water tower was a little over three stories high, which gave Ivanov a good view of the street, the stores and rooftops on two streets. The double row of stores, one facing the main street and ocean and the other facing the next street over, was nearly all in plain view of anyone lying up on the floor of the water tower with a sniper’s rifle. There were only a few places hidden from his sight and Stefan’s body itched to get to one of them quickly, but he forced himself to keep to his casual saunter. He strolled, carefully studying each building as Ivanov would expect him to do.
Between the water tower, where Judith had parked her car and Stefan’s ultimate goal, there were three stores and his gallery. His. That brought him up short.