Russian's Intense Love (Drobilka Family Series #2) by Leona Lee

back to Russian.
    “To make you an asset.”
    “You are joking.”
    Shaking her head, Bethany spoke to him in low tones as she outlined her idea. He argued with her as she continued to explain.
    “And what do I get in return?”
    “You mean besides avoiding prison and potentially the death penalty?”
    Pacing the room, Vadim avoided her gaze as he contemplated her proposal. “And who exactly would we be going after?”
    “Boris, to start. We don’t have enough on him to arrest him for Elizabeth’s murder.”
    “Who?”
    “Sasha,” Bethany corrected. “We aren’t the only agency interested in your boss. This would be a multi-division taskforce. Ideally, we’d like to take down whoever is calling the shots in Moscow, but for now, we’d settle for closing down all their enterprises here in the US.”
    “That is a tall order, Malyutka.”
    Standing up and stepping in front of him, Bethany took his hands as she looked him in the eye, “Vadim, when I look at you, I see an honorable man. Help me stop these people.”
    “And who would I be reporting to?”
    Shrugging her shoulders, Bethany pondered his question. “Me, I suppose. As far as I know, my cover hasn’t been blown, I can return to the Rubicon.”
    “Nyet!” Vadim declared as he slapped his hand down on the file. “I won’t have what happened to Sasha happen to you.”
    “It won’t,” Bethany declared. “Not if we’re careful.”
    After additional discussion, Vadim agreed to Bethany’s idea. Walking back over to the control panel, she clicked on both the audio and cameras before talking into the mic, “We are ready for Director Turner,” she stated before reaching for one of the bottles of water. After she downed half of it, she offered the bottle to Vadim, who finished it off. Within minutes, the door opened and an armed officer stood outside waiting for them.
    “This way, please,” he stated as they followed him down the hall to a conference room.
    Walking inside, Bethany was not surprised to see the Director or her handler. There was a man in a suit who looked like a lawyer; two other people that she presumed were from one of the other divisions. Sitting on a credenza near the window, she was surprised to see Peter. Raising her eyebrow, she waited for any introductions, but none was made.
    She sat down next to Vadim as the lawyer outlined their proposal in writing and Vadim signed off acknowledging his agreement that in exchange for no charges being pressed against him, he agreed to provide information to the taskforce. In addition, Bethany would remain in her role as a server at the Rubicon and they would continue their relationship.
    He argued over any agreement to wear a wire or allow recording devices in his office, but grudgingly agreed that there might come a need for it at a later date.
    When Bethany and Vadim finally left the FBI building, the sun was already high in the sky. Blinking in the sunlight, Bethany’s stomach growled loudly as she realized that it had been close to twenty-four hours since she had eaten anything. Before they could hail a cab, a Town Car pulled up with Boris in the passenger seat. They looked at each other tiredly, having not had the chance to rehearse what they planned to say to him, but climbed into the backseat. Sagging, Bethany let out a yawn as she leaned back against the seats.
    As the car pulled away, Boris questioned both of them. While there were still three others who had yet to be released, he was concerned at how long they were there.
    Deciding for as much of the truth as possible, Vadim filled him in on the murder of Sasha and that she was an agent with ICE, as he searched his face for any tell. As he talked, Bethany found her eyes drooping as she fought to follow the conversation, which was taking place in rapid Russian. She vaguely remembered hearing her name as she sat up. Taking her hand, Vadim kissed the back of it as he told Boris that he had made a mistake in asking about her, which