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I lean forward. “Could it be connected to Burning Roses, Marsha Steele’s organization?”
“It’s a possibility.” Ana leans back and I can tell she’s thinking hard.
Titus turns his attention to me. “What was your plan?”
“To go to London and locate this woman. Her name is Veronica Scott-Stanley. Damien is already working on her location.”
“I’ll go.”
We glance at my brother Valentin, who pitches in.
“I’m heading there on business next week, anyway. It will be easy to check this woman out and discover her connection with him.”
Titus nods. “It makes sense. Mikhail–” He fixes me with a hard look. “Fill Valentin in on everything you know. Damien should be able to come up with an address before next week. Give it to Artem and he will make his own preparations.”
Artem is Valentin’s assistant, for want of a better word. We all have them, but their job title resembles that of a mafia consigliere and is every bit as lethal. Valentin may be the quiet one in our family, sometimes playing the joker in company, but that’s all an act to distract the real man who hides behind a contrived façade.
Valentin Romanov is every bit as ruthless as the rest of us and yet I wouldn’t be surprised if he is the most fucked-up one of all. He’s the type who will smile into your eyes as he sticks a knife in your heart and many underestimate him at their peril. I’m confident that if anyone can find this Veronica Scott-Stanley, he can and his methods are a lot more twisted than mine because where I intimidate and terrorize, he does it before they even see him coming.
Titus sighs heavily. “It’s becoming apparent that we never really knew our father at all. Ana is right, some things aren’t adding up and the fact he was murdered tells me someone out there knows something we don’t.”
Arman, who has been sitting quietly, speaks up and we all stop to listen because Arman is the silent assassin who usually strikes before anyone knows he was listening.
“There is unrest at the oil refinery. Somebody is stirring up trouble, and it started after our father died. The stock market is jittery, and the workers are increasingly belligerent. I am flying to New York to settle the market, but would appreciate this being resolved quickly, so the ship doesn’t suffer any damage.”
Arman is all about the business end of our empire, and Titus nods gravely. “Keep us informed and remember, this stays within this room. Somebody murdered our father in cold blood at this very table and we can rule nothing, or nobody out. Do what you must and do it quickly because none of us is safe all the time his murderer goes undiscovered.”
It’s a sobering thought because we always believed we were the untouchables, which is a joke considering where we live.
Our father was great friends with the man in the charge of the country and we always had his full support. Somebody is messing with the wrong family and if they are coming for us, they would be wise to be fully prepared because we don’t give up without an extremely dirty fight.
An hour later, I head off to find Lilli. I wonder what she would do if she realized that the jewelry she wears is all fitted with a subtle tracking device. It ensures the goods will be returned to us if they are ever stolen, but it also means I know where she is at all times. I’m not even going to tell her that because like it or not, Lilli is never getting away from me, despite the choice I gave her.
I find her in the guest house, alone, and she is wandering around the master bedroom, gazing at the incredible artistic paradise with awe.
“Do you like what you see?” I ask as I hover in the doorway, loving her small smile when she finds something she likes.
“Oh my god.” She jumps as she turns and notices me watching her and then giggles with embarrassment.
“I nearly dropped it, and I’m guessing I will never have enough money to replace it.”
I note the intricate piece she was admiring of a bird in flight, and she says in awe, “Is this real gold?”
“Of course.”
She places it carefully back on the shelf and I glance around the room.
“Where’s my mother?”
“She told me she had a few calls to make and that you would find me, but hopefully not before I had some time to look around.”
“She was right.” I advance slowly and Lilli blushes as she registers the raging lust in my eyes.
“Mikhail, um–”
She doesn’t get to finish her sentence before I reach her and tug her against my chest, gripping her face and staring deep into her eyes.
“I love seeing you in my family home. You belong here.”
