"Ambassadors, politicians, oligarchs, and their entourages. Maybe seventy, eighty total. Plus security. The château is heavily guarded, as is the airport, I'm told."
I nod, my jaw tightening. "And my cover?"
"Simple. You're my bodyguard. Protecting a Romanian official."
I almost laugh.
"Your bodyguard."
"Yes."
"Victor, I'm not good at playing pretend."
"I'm aware." His tone is dry, clipped. "Which is why I've waited to tell you all this, and why I'm going to say this once, and you're going to listen."
I meet his gaze, and the calm intensity in his eyes sharpens.
"This is politics," he says. "My arena. Not yours. You're there as my bodyguard. You stay with me. You gather intel. You observe. You do not go fucking crazy."
"Define crazy."
"Adrian."
"I'm serious."
"So am I." He leans forward again, his voice dropping. "There will be guards. Diplomatic immunity protecting half the men in that building. If you kill the wrong person, if you blow our cover, we're not just dead. We lose Elena."
The words hit like a punch to the chest.
I close my eyes, forcing myself to breathe. My pulse is roaring in my ears, loud and relentless.
"I understand," I say finally.
"Do you? Because this is serious."
"Don't you fucking think I know that?"
Victor sits back and nods. "Okay."
The jet banks slightly, and I turn back to the window. Our destination is visible now, a dark shape, a fortress nestled in thevalley below, surrounded by snow-covered trees, steep cliffs, and a small airport nearby.
"Hey, do you know why they call this place Château d'Éclipse?" I ask, my voice low.
Victor glances out the window, his expression thoughtful. "No, but we’ll have two days to figure it out. Also, the airport is small and will be guarded, so getting in and out will take finesse. We need to play it cool from the moment we get off this plane."
I nod, but I'm not really listening.
Two days.
My eyes stay locked on the huge estate below, on the château where Elena was taken. Maybe she was held in a basement or a locked suite.
The thought twists in my chest, sharp and vicious.
Fuck, I hope she doesn't think I ever abandoned her.
"I won't need two days," I say and look at him. "I'll only need an hour."
Victor's on his tablet and doesn't respond, but I don't mistake the look he gives me after I say that