Raikov snorted.

"Apart from you loving and leaving me, cocktease?"

It was said in an affectionate enough way, although with more than enough grains of truth in it. Ivan was not in the best mood right now.

"Why wouldn't it be?" he asked, unruffled. "You forget your squad arrives at the click of your heels. I have to give them an actual boot to stop them dragging theirs along. I'll be with you in a minute."

He sped up pace, and he could hear the clatter of boots in his wake a few moments after.