"They know it was me?"
"No, but they want to speak to you based on what one of the women said," Victor says carefully. "Of course, I can't let that happen, so I've been working every contact I have to keep it that way."
I exhale slowly, my shoulders dropping.
"Good."
"Not good, Adrian."
Victor's voice turns firm, and he takes a step closer, his eyes locking onto mine.
"Maxim's father is the head of the Volkov Bratva in Moscow. One of the most powerful men in Russia. And one of his sons just turned up dead with a bullet through his head."
The air in the room feels heavier now.
"So?" I say, my voice cold. "Let him mourn."
Victor's jaw tightens.
"He's not mourning, brother. He's hunting."
The words hang in the air between us.
"Rumor is," Victor continues, "he just put a twenty-five-million-dollar bounty on the head of whoever killed his son."
My blood goes cold.
"Twenty-five million?"
Victor nods.
"Every mercenary, assassin, and Bratva soldier in Europe is gearing up. If they're not here yet, they will be soon."
I stare at him, my mind racing. That kind of money doesn't just attract opportunists.
It attracts professional killers. People who will burn this entire mountain down to collect.
"But they don't know it's me," I say slowly.
"Not yet," Victor agrees. "But it's only a matter of time before someone connects the dots."
I start pacing again, rubbing my forehead, my lack of sleep making my brain work slowly.
"Fine. Then I'll leave. We'll leave. Go back to Romania."
"We can't."
I freeze, turning to face him.
"The Swiss airport is on total lockdown. No private flights in or out until the investigation is complete. Our pilot can't get clearance to take off."
"Then we'll drive," I say. "We'll go through France or Italy or..."
"Every border crossing is being monitored," Victor interrupts. "They're looking for the women who escaped. And they're looking for anyone connected to Maxim's death."
I stare at him, my chest tightening.
"So we're trapped?"