Drake Sisters 03 - Oceans of Fire

balcony. Abbey had gone inside, unaware of the two men facing off on the hillside leading to her home.
    He let his breath out in a sigh of relief and continued to follow Prakenskii, hoping for a mistake on the hit man’s part. Ilya didn’t lose his footing on the steep slope, nor did he take his gaze from Aleksandr, as he made his way to the car hidden partially by a wild bramble of bushes.
    “Watch your back, Aleksandr,” Prakenskii advised as he slid behind the wheel of the black Acura. His gun remained pointed at Aleksandr’s head. “There are things here best left alone.“
    “Abigail Drake is best left alone,” Aleksandr replied.
    “She is a weakness that can be exploited.”
    “She is death for any who seeks to harm her.”
    Prakenskii started up his car. “You have many enemies here, my friend. And they will not all look like enemies.”
    Aleksandr slid his gun back into his shoulder harness as he watched Prakenskii drive away. Only when he was certain the other man was gone did he turn his attention to Abbey’s balcony and the open French doors. What was she thinking to leave an invitation to everyone? Especially after witnessing a murder and nearly being murdered herself.
    He hurried up the slope through the trees to the house on the cliff. It was the replica of a villa he’d seen in the south ofFrance, also with many windows, balconies, and a tower. The one inFrancewas used as a hotel and was certainly large enough for it.
    He looked straight up from the foundation of the building. The structure rose three stories high and, of Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    course, Abigail’s balcony was at the highest point. He stood beneath the balcony and studied the vine-covered walls for the best way up. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fast, but he made it with a steady crawl, more annoyed than ever that anyone could have gotten into the house. Worse, he found finger-and footholds where there shouldn’t have been, almost as if an invisible ladder was stretching up the wall of the house for him, or anyone else .
    Gaining the balcony, he went over the railing and sat for a moment on the floor, listening for sounds of movement. He took a few minutes to check the grounds below before going into Abigail’s room, in case Prakenskii returned. As he walked boldly through the open doors, he felt a curious electrical charge running through his body and the air seemed to light up with tiny sparks much like fireflies. He blinked and the peculiar sensation was gone, as if it had never been.
    Abigail lay on the bed beneath a thick quilt, her fist clenching the soft folds. Her bright red hair spilled across her pillow and pooled on the sheets. He made no sound as he crossed the room and sank down onto the full-sized four-poster bed. Her lashes were spiky wet as if she’d been crying, but when she opened her eyes, there were no tears, only blazing hot anger mixed with panic as she launched herself at him.
    He caught her and slammed her back down to the mattress, hissing at her. “You don’t want to wake your sisters.” Until that moment, he hadn’t realized the rage that seethed just below the surface. Maybe the night’s events fed it, maybe her careless actions and even the danger to her contributed, but more than that, it was her steadfast implacable resolve not to give him a chance. She had tossed him aside so easily, without a confrontation, without a single word spoken, without allowing for any explanations.
    Aleksandr took a breath and let it out slowly, careful that his grip on her couldn’t possibly hurt.
    Abigail stared up at his broad shoulders and familiar face. She loved his face. Loved the angles and planes and lines etched deep that spoke of hardship. Right now his eyes were ice cold and she knew he meant business, but she didn’t care. “You mean you don’t want me to wake them. They’ll call Jonas and you’ll be the one hauled to jail. It won’t be as bad as what happened to me, but you won’t like it.”
    Aleksandr let her go. “Go ahead and scream, Abbey. Let your sisters call your annoying friend. Just know that I’m not in the mood to be generous tonight.” He leaned down to remove his shoes. “It’s on you if anything happens. I’m just too damned tired to care.”
    “What are you doing?” Abigail sat up, her eyes smoldering with temper.
    “I just told you. I’m tired. It’s been a hell of a day. I’m going to lie down while