He was still reluctant, the stupid bastard. So I offered another round of incentives by taking the knife and pressing it against his balls. Now he was sweating. “My phone. X. Just under X. Okay?”
“Very well. Any idea what they wanted her for?”
“No.”
I believed him. Which was why I allowed him a death of honor. Or maybe I was just eager to get to my lovely little healer.
Pop! Pop!
Kirill huffed as he lifted his head. “You take the fun out of everything.”
CHAPTER 22
Kazimir
The jewel of the game or perhaps I should call the prize was the lovely and talented Rafaela Marichetti.
She held a card in her hand that she might or might not be aware of. An ace of diamonds.
Using or exploiting it would be the killing blow, a moment when the truth would be revealed. Now I simply needed to learn if she was friend or foe.
Either way, she was mine.
Even if I’d need to keep her in a gilded cage for the rest of her life.
The thought was somewhat appealing, enough to let me know theD’yavolhad returned and he was very, very angry.
“I don’t like the game being played,” Kirill mentioned, as he joined me standing across the street from the club I’d followed her to. While I’d been on my way to her apartment, one of thehired men had let me know she’d just stepped outside, obviously out for the evening.
I found so many things about her fascinating including that she worked at a local coffee shop. That meant she wasn’t using money from her trust fund. She’d had an obvious falling out with her father.
After changing clothes, both she and Golden Angel had jumped on the Paris Metro, which had made keeping an eye on her more like a game. Yet I’d been up to the task.
“It’s one night, Kirill. With the appearance of the Ghost and the details provided, I’ve changed my mind about the next steps taken. We will leave for Moscow in the morning. Make arrangements with Madame Dubois so there are no hiccups.”
“I can see that big brain of yours formulating something else altogether.”
“Perhaps, which is why it’s vital we discover who hired the Ghost. That will tell us everything we need to know.”
“You have no clue what you could be facing.” He appeared more stressed than normal.
“Are you talking about when I return home or tonight?”
He threw me a look. “Both. Between the Petrov and the Gusev regimes, word on the streets throughout Russia is that everyone should be prepared for a bloody war.”
“They are correct. Only at this point the final players for the championship round have yet to be chosen.”
“You’ve changed significantly in three years, my Pakhan.”
“How so?”
Kirill rubbed his jaw. “The game has become as enjoyable as the win.”
I hadn’t put my desires into a neat compartment. “You’re right. I do enjoy the game. I have no issue watching the bastards squirm. You’ve been in contact with Mikhail?” I’d had him check in more than once.
“I have. He feels the pressure as well. He knows something is going on.”
While our soldiers were certainly allowed vacations, a man of Kirill’s status would never completely shut off his responsibilities or contact much like a CEO of any notable corporation. In his previous checks he’d sensed no red flags. I had a feeling that wasn’t the case with his last check in. “Meaning?”
