Thunder cracks in the distance.
“Are we open to it?” Thorn asks.
Hell if I know. “Maybe, but if it keeps us from going to war for a while, we could at least talk about it. Who knows? Maybe your kid and Alexei’s kid will fall in love.”
“I don’t see that,” Thorn says. “How about your kid and Alexei’s kid fall in love?”
“I’m not sure I see that either.” It was one thing when I was speaking hypothetically, but now that I know exactly who the woman will be to carry my kids, I’m not sure I’ll let them go to the Russian mob. If nothing else, I bought us some time before war. We might as well enjoy it.
“I should probably tell you that Horace Whimple’s body was found on my main property by the ocean. Close to your place,” I murmur.
“Excuse me?” Thorn asks.
I tell him the whole story. “It’s over about a mile from the house, cordoned off, still a police crime scene. I searched my house and the rest of the grounds and couldn’t find anything.”
“So some anonymous source called it in and buried the body on your land?”
Isn’t that convenient? “Yep.”
“Have they done an autopsy yet?”
“Today,” I say. Rain drips from the porch roof. I wipe my knee where it splattered and take a sip of coffee. “Of course, even if the killer planted evidence that links thedeath to me, it’ll be gone.” We have contacts in the coroner’s office.
I listen to the silence. This is Thorn trying to convince himself not to come home and take care of things.
“I’ve got this,” I tell him. “You need to trust me.”
“I do.”
The absolute truth in his voice warms me in a way most people will never understand. My condition leads to this as well as to pain. I guess there has to be some balance.
Thorn clears his throat. “Justice, take care of these problems, would you?”
I finish the coffee. “Of course. Enjoy your honeymoon.”
“Are you sure Ella’s the one?”
I chuckle. “I’m absolutely positive.”
“Good.” He sounds pleased. “Bye.”
The line clicks off. I text Kaz instructions to get all of our influencers moving and see if we can spark activity today on Malice Media. With the most advanced algorithm out there, we should at least give Alana somewhat of a challenge. I’d like to help my brother save face, even though he didn’t seem to care much about it.
Kaz doesn’t answer. That’s odd.
My phone buzzes again from a blocked number. I accept the call but don’t say anything.
“Are we at war?” Alexei Sokolov’s voice comes through calmly.
I sigh. “Because of Ella?”
He’s quiet. Quiet for two beats. “No. What’s wrong with Ella?”
“She’s mine. That’s concrete. So if we’re going to warbecause of our connections to TimeGem and Aquarius, let’s do it.” I wouldn’t mind a decent fight, to be honest, but I’d rather a bunch of good men didn’t get killed.
He sighs. “I’m not willing to go to war over that at this moment, considering I’m marrying your woman’s best friend. I thought we had a deal with the next generation.”
“We might. Especially if you have a daughter,” I say.
