Broken Together (44 page)

My
eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

Rafael
blew out a breath. “Is she sitting down?”

Brady
helped me onto one of the high back stools. “She is now.”

He
softened his tone. “Kristine, that pipeline will cost the Russian government
billions in lost revenue. Putin will be livid. If he cannot openly retaliate
against Ukraine, he will order his regime to hunt, torture, and kill those who
aided and abetted in this project. He will pursue anyone deemed precious to
Maxim with a vengeance, so he can force him to abandon that pipeline. Putin is
former KGB. Surely you understand what that means.”

I
gripped the granite countertop. “The SVR will be looking for me.”

Jase’s
hand raked through his hair. “I tried to warn you… this makes you an even
bigger target.”

I
was dangerously close to vomiting.

“I
don’t know how discreet Maxim was when he visited Kristine. You said he had a
number of men walking the perimeter when he was at the townhouse, blocking the
entrance to the coffee shop, and patrolling USAID. Still, if he was being
followed...” Rafael trailed off ominously.

Brady
set a glass of water on the counter in front of me. “How do you want to
proceed?”

“I
want Kristine to see if she can finish her coursework remotely. I want her to
request a leave of absence from Seeds for Peace. I don’t want her going
anywhere near the Ukrainian Embassy on Election Day. I don’t want her eating
any food the three of you haven’t prepared yourselves, I don’t want her
crossing any streets, and I want you out of the townhouse by five o’clock
tomorrow.”

Tears
streamed down my cheeks. Tragically, it seemed, my efforts to free the
Ukrainian people from Russian aggression would cost my freedom in the end.

*
* * * *

I
drew the thick fleece blanket over my knees. Installation of the missile
defense shield aired as breaking news on all of the major news stations in the
United States. Thankfully, there was no mention of Kadyn or me, only Maxim and
Secretary Gates. Given that news release and Putin’s thinly veiled threats
against Ukraine and the United States, Ukraine’s presidential election was receiving
some air time as well.

My
eyes remained glued to the television. The current news feed depicted the USS
Porter. The U.S. Navy destroyer was patrolling the Black Sea alongside NATO
forces.

Brady
sat up and took notice. “The USS Porter launched Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles
during the Shock and Awe Campaign in Iraq.”

Jase
looked up from his laptop. “We’ve increased our force structure in Europe.
They’re calling it Operation Atlantic Resolve.” He read part of the news story aloud.
“We’ve positioned hundreds of Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, a convoy
of Stryker combat vehicles, and Paladin self-propelled howitzers near the
Russian border.”

Kadyn
whistled. “That’s impressive.” He handed me a slice of ZBQ Chicken Pizza. Jase deemed
the pizza safe because Kadyn watched while it was being made.

Brady
loaded up his plate.

Jase
had negotiated Rafael down from his list of demands, so we were in the
townhouse for the time being. Kadyn joined us instead of going to the embassy.
“How long do you think it will take them to tally the votes?”

My
phone beeped with an incoming text. “It’s Shae. The exit polls are in.”

I
dropped the phone when it began to wail. I glared at Brady and Jase. They’d
recently started messing with my ringtone. “A crying baby? Really?” I picked up
the phone.

Kadyn
and Jase laughed while Brady snickered. “You should get used to that sound.”

I
shot to my feet when I saw the name reflected on the screen. “Maxim, are you
okay?”

“
Da,
milaya kotyonok
. I am more than okay. We have won the election!”

Kadyn
grabbed me when I swayed.

I
sank back onto the couch. “You’re… you’re… you’re the President of Ukraine?”

A
deep, hearty laugh rolled through the phone. I couldn’t recall the last time I
heard Maxim laugh so freely. “The inauguration is in two weeks. You will attend?”

My
heart stalled.

Maxim’s
voice softened. “I want you to hold my father’s Bible when I’m sworn into
office.”

My
vision blurred while I battled the demons that provoked.

*
* * * *

Dr.
Sandstrom twirled a pen between his fingers while he pondered my predicament.
“You are one of the most courageous women I know. Why change now?”

My
hand flitted to my stomach.

His
eyes softened. “Ah, well that is understandable. Still, what example would that
set for your child?”

I
frowned.

“You
cannot abandon those you care for and everything you’ve worked so hard to
achieve so you can go into hiding. You are not the sort of person who could
live peacefully with that decision. The fear, frustration, and anger would forever
change you,” he warned.

I
wondered how he knew me so well. “Rafael is concerned that my participation in
the swearing in ceremony would alert Putin to my involvement with Maxim.”

He
set the pen on his desk. “The SVR exploited your relationship with Maxim once
before. They held you captive until the Prime Minister and the President of
Ukraine signed the treaty allowing the Russian naval fleet to remain in
Sevastopol.”

I
took a deep breath and blew it out.

“You’re
already on his radar,” he argued with some regret. “Admittedly, the
inauguration would place you in the spotlight once again, but Maxim’s position
as president could offer a layer of insulation that didn’t exist before. Your
friend will have a lot more resources at his disposal; security forces, Intel,
and the missile defense shield.”

I
chewed my bottom lip. Dr. Sandstrom was making all the same arguments I’d made
to Rafael.

He
leaned back in his chair. “If I were you, I’d go and support my friend. I
wouldn’t linger any longer than I had to, but I would go. Kristine, this is a
huge accomplishment. This could change everything for Ukraine. You played a
role in this. You deserve to be there, to stand beside your friend at the
inauguration, and to share in the celebration. Don’t allow the SVR to rob you
of this.”

Tears
pooled in my eyes. “I want to go. I really do…”

“Then
go,” he insisted.

Butterflies
attacked my stomach. “What about my studies?”

“If
you flew to Ukraine on the twenty-third and returned on the twenty-seventh like
Maxim suggested, you’d only miss one day of class.”

“Can
I finish my remaining coursework remotely?” I was still on the fence about requesting
this, but I promised Rafael I would ask.

“I’d
prefer to have you in class. Besides, I loathe the idea of you going into
hiding.” He started humming “This Little Light of Mine.”

I
cracked a smile.

His
eyes sparkled. “Have you selected a topic for your final paper?”

“Yes.”
I breathed a small sigh of relief. “I’m mapping the Russia/Ukraine conflict so
I can develop strategies for resolving their conflict.”

He
smiled unabashedly. “You should share those strategies with the President of
Ukraine.”

*
* * * *

“Please,
Rafael? I’ll only be there for three days.” I wasn’t counting the two additional
days of travel required to and from Kyiv since those days involved ten hours of
flight time and a two hour layover in Germany or France.

“I?”
he bristled. “This will be a ‘we’ not an ‘I’ if it happens, and I’m not so sure
this should happen.”

“‘We’
as in ‘me and my security team’ or ‘we’ as in ‘you might be willing to join
me?’” I inquired hesitantly.

“Kristine,
do you honestly think I’d allow you to go to Ukraine without me?”

I
chose to ignore the word “allow.” “Maxim said I could bring my own security
team, and he promised a staggering amount of security to reinforce their
efforts to keep me safe. He invited us to stay with him at the presidential
residence, which is heavily guarded. I have no interest in venturing off by
myself, so there will be very little opportunity for the SVR to intercept me.”

“By
intercept do you mean torture, kill, or kidnap?” he queried mildly.

“All
of the above,” I conceded with forced nonchalance.

“I
can’t believe you’re even considering this,” he grumbled. “If we do this… and
that’s still a very big if… we’re going to do this my way. I’ll be handling
your security, not Maxim. You will not walk or sit or stand anywhere I haven’t
approved. You won’t touch a single speck of food or drink a single drop of
fluid until I’ve tested it first. Do you understand?”

“Yes,”
I conceded grudgingly.

“Good.
Now let me speak with my son,” he demanded just as gruffly.

“How
do you know it’s a boy?” I challenged with a lighthearted laugh.

“I
just do. Now please lift up your shirt, set the phone to speaker, and place it
on your tummy so I can speak with my child.”

“Stop
being so bossy,” I taunted.

“Wife,”
he growled. “I’d like to speak with my child.”

“You
are,” I retorted. “The phone is already on my belly.”

He
huffed out a breath. “Son, you should know how poorly your mother is behaving.
An elbow to the belly would be good right about now. Can you make her sick
again, so she can’t travel to Ukraine? I’d much prefer she hang out in bed and
read those books I sent. Is she still reading to you every day?”

I
folded my hands behind my head and smiled. I loved hearing Rafael dote on our
child.

*
* * * *

“Surprise!”
Cenia, Marie, Oni, Sammi, Shae, and Gabi yelled.

I
froze. “I’m pretty sure my birthday is in June.”

Cenia
laughed. “This isn’t a birthday party. This is your bridal shower.”

I
grinned at my friends. “Thank you. That’s very sweet.”

Cenia
patted Jase on the arm. “Kadyn and Roger are watching baseball in the theater
room downstairs. Why don’t you and Brady join them?”

Jase
ducked his head toward hers conspiratorially. “Maybe you can talk her out of
going to Ukraine.”

The
smile slid from her face. “You’ve been holding out on me again.”

“Why
would you go to Ukraine?” Gabi protested.

Shae’s
arm slid protectively around me. “Maxim was elected president. We’re attending his
inauguration.”

“You’re
going too?” Cenia sputtered. “Wait. I need a drink. Does anyone else want a
mango martini? I’m pretty sure I’ll handle this better if I drink a couple of
martinis.”

Marie
laughed. “If you have an extra shaker, I’ll help you mix the drinks.”

“Can
you make mine virgin?” I inquired hesitantly.

Every
woman in the room stopped talking.

I
crossed my fingers behind my back. “I have a ton of homework I have to get
through tonight. I can’t afford to dumb down my brain any more than it already
is.”

Cenia’s
eyes narrowed. “Dumb doesn’t even begin to capture how insane that decision is.
I cannot believe you’re going to Ukraine.”

“Would
you like to come with me?” I teased. “You could be part of my security team.”

She
gaped at me. “How did you get Rafael to sign off on this?”

I
bit my bottom lip. “I plied him with sex?”

Oni
giggled.

Shae
laughed. “Men. They’ll agree to anything when you ply them with sex.”

*
* * * *

Rafael
met us in Germany. Thankfully, my vomiting had subsided by the time he boarded the
jet, or he would have ordered us back to Virginia. The Zofran helped, although
I was questioning whether the baby was to blame. Most of my friends presumed it
was nerves. They knew I was terrified despite the brave front. They were my
saving grace. They kept me sufficiently engaged, which helped keep my anxieties
at bay.

I
gazed at my husband’s handsome face… his soft brown eyes, tousled hair, and the
five o’clock shadow that made him so damn irresistible. I wasn’t sure why, but
I drew comfort from the fact that we were married. Our marital status wouldn’t
deter the SVR, but it would deter Maxim should that prove necessary. I belonged
to Rafael in every way imaginable. That knowledge changed me somehow.

I
nodded off while Rafael strategized with Jase. He was sitting beside me,
absently caressing my leg. I woke with a start when he stopped.

He
kissed me before whispering in my ear. “I’m not going anywhere.” His hand
grazed my tummy.

I
trailed my fingers over the stubble shadowing his jaw. “Good. Thank you for being
here.”

A
melodic “ding” sounded over the intercom. “
Dobryy den'
. This is your
pilot, Captain Anderson. Heavy cloud cover awaits us in Kyiv. It’s a chilly forty-six
degrees. The local time is four-thirty p.m. We’ll be landing in thirty
minutes.”