“Figures.” Nikolai spied around the room for any trouble headed to back up Gill, then grunted, “Stay on Jessie and keep an eye on Pinstripes.”
Rex gave him a two-finger salute as Nikolai stalked through crowds of gambling customers to the casino. Gill was attempting to weave into the flow of traffic but was kept at arm’s length as if the casino even knew his dirty little secret. Nikolai studied him with each step. Gill was a large man, with broad shoulders, a mop of dirty blonde hair, and a crooked nose. Despite his height and the bulkiness of his frame…he wasn’t Nikolai.
Nikolai caught up to Gill moments before he saw the flash of red that was Katarina. Jessie was taking her up to the dance floor, having played all Katarina budgeted for them to play. The mechanic caught the second Gill’s face lit up with fury, knowing what caused it, and put out his arm before the bull he’d been stalking could charge. Gill clotheslined himself on Nikolai’s outstretched arm, dropping to the floor like a sack of rocks.
“Gillian Hurley,” Nikolai growled darkly as he crouched beside the man wheezing on the floor. “Fancy meeting you here. Not sure why I am.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Gill gasped for air.
“Not important.” Nikolai draped his mile long arms over his bent knees, completely comfortable in the low squat. Gill stared up at him with deadly intent.Yet he’s not tried to swing on me, strange.“You know, I’m pretty sure that you were told to stay away from her. Even told you the business hours in which you could submit an official complaint.”
Nikolai motioned up in the air toward the twinkling lights of the casino. With a mocking grimace, Nikolai continued, “It’s past business hours, Gill.”
“You one of the chumps she’s fucking now, huh?” Gill struggled to sit up only to flop back against the ground with a groan. Nikolai would normally wonder why but if The Executive was desperate, he probably wasn’t very kind to his pawns.I mean, look at Pierre…oh wait, you can’t.
“You’rereallyhung up on that part, huh?” Nikolai smirked as he waved off one of the staff scuffling over to help him up. People simply stepped around the pair like they were a wet floor sign. Giving them enough berth as to not step in whatever it was but not goingthatfar out of their way. It gave them a false bubble of privacy as Nikolai poked Gill in the ribs. Gill yelped, jerking away but unable to actually move away.
“Don’t touch me.”
“What’s wrong Gill? The Executive rough you up for not delivering earlier?” Nikolai tilted his head to the side.
Gill’s eyes widened as he finally scrambled up onto his knees. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh please. He sent you in here to cause a problem. Tell me I’m wrong.” Nikolai narrowed his eyes on Gill. The man in finance, the ghost of Katarina’s past, and the pawn all wrapped into one, he shook his head.
“Look, she shouldn’t even be here. If she was home with our kid, none of this would be happening. If she doesn’t come home with me, they’ll kill Isabella then me.”
Nikolai’s eyebrows shot up on his face as he studied Gill.They’ll what?His jaw tightened again. “Will they now?”
“My parents picked her up from school yesterday. She’s with them right now.”
Nikolai inhaled sharply through his nose, putting a finger up in Gill’s face. Plucking his phone out of his pocket, he dialed Titan Bonesaw.I can’t believe I’m doing this or even considering this.Titan picked up after three rings. “What’s up Nik?”
“Where’s Bella?” Nikolai watched Gill’s face soften, then scrunch up in confusion over the course of a few seconds.
“Right here, hold on… Here kiddo, tell Fluffy hello. He’s checking in.” Nikolai listened to rustling sound and the cheerful gasp of a child talking into the receiver. “Fluffy! Hi! We drink hot chocolate and watch tv. They have Captain Goober!”
Nikolai chuckled softly, “Just wanted to say goodnight.”
“Night-night, Fluffy! Pancakes in morning! Bone-ma is making stuffs for the sale. Gotta go, Captain is back! Byyyyyyye!” He heard the tell-tale sound of a popular television show he used to watch with Jessie while doing their homework ages ago. Captain Good Bear, the paladin with a plan. Titan returned to the receiver. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah, Katarina just wanted to hear her voice,” Nikolai lied with a wide grin, watching horror creep over Gill’s face.
“Well, tell Katarina the kiddo’s safe from everything but a sugar high—Ow! Lailee…yeah, yeah, your mother says goodnight to all of you. Now we gotta go, the tiny terror looks like she might bite me for interrupting her captain show.” The line went dead and Nikolai locked his phone, pocketing it shortly after. “The kid’s fine, so you can leave.”
“What?” Gill scoffed, “No.”
Nikolai sat back on his heels, scowling. “I’m really trying not to crack your head open here, Gill. Throw me a bone.”
“I don’t have to give you shit. Katarina owes me after the fucking stunt she pulled. The least she can do is help me out after she got me locked up in the first place. Once she’s out of the picture, I’ll leave, how about that?” Gill started to get up only to be shoved back onto the carpet with a singular firm hand.
Nikolai took a deep breath in through his nose, narrowing his eyes on Gill.He knew the kid wasn’t in danger. He lied. He said it in hopes of slipping past me.“You lied about the kid?”
Gill’s eyes widened, stammering. “No, no, they told—”
“You’re here to cause trouble?” Nikolai’s jaw set in a hard line. Gill paled as Nikolai’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “Well? Gill?”
“Look, alright, they said they wouldn’t hurt her—”
