Page 116 of Beguiled

At least Dimitri laughed. “Then she’s perfect for you.”

“Yeah, but at what price?”

“I tell you the same thing Kazimir keeps telling me in his efforts to convince me to settle down. You deserve a damn private life.”

“Not until Mikhail is dead.”

“Now, I suggest you refrain from mentioning that to Kazimir. What are you thinking about the murder of this girl?”

“I think her father is a man of importance and he was in the process of selling her hand in marriage as part of an alliance. I have a feeling she knew Saige was in danger or had been placed in the middle of the proposed contract and was planning on warning Saige. Her phone is missing.”

“I’ll have our computer experts see if they can clean up the audio and run the fingerprints through the database, but you know the likelihood of finding the dead guy’s identity is likely low.”

“I’m aware but it’s worth checking. The last threat was sent to me directly. Likely since Saige is in my life. We can use it to lure him in.”

“Risky,” Dimitri insisted.

“Life is a risky proposition. Mikhail’s patience is waning. I have a feeling he wants to claim power and the best way to do that…”

“Is to manufacture an alliance of his own. With the use of the blackmail information you inadvertently provided. Or I should say your main squeeze.”

I gritted my teeth. “She’s trying to protect her family as we all are.”

His sigh was heavy like the weight on my chest. “I get it. However we play this, we have an alliance to keep in place and another syndicate on the cusp of becoming even more powerful. Fireworks in New York this time of year are unwanted.”

“You’re the bull in the china shop. Or did you forget?”

“I think you’ve gleaned a few of my methods.”

“To protect someone I care about.”

When he paused, I shook my head. “I’m glad you’re finally finding something that makes you happy. Who knows. Maybe one day I’ll find the right girl.”

“Only if you stop whoring around.”

“You’re such a bastard. However, I’ll head over to your house in the morning.”

As I stared at the front door to my house, I grinned. “Make it late. The night is still young.”

“You are a true dog in heat.”

“Maybe I am learning from you.” I’d laid the groundwork for unraveling the riddle, although this one was a little more straightforward than the last. All that had to be done was put the final people in the storyline and place the bait. Greed was the best lure to use and the web surrounding it should provide a resolution.

With dawn right around the horizon, the lack of any noise was unnerving.

After placing the bags I’d brought from Saige’s apartment on the floor in the foyer, I carried the cat’s things into the kitchen before letting her out.

While I had never been a pet owner, I knew enough to get out her food and water bowl, filling both. Next was the kitty litter station, which I placed in the laundry room.

I grabbed a drink, rolling the glass across my forehead before taking a sip.

A few names lingered in the forefront of my mind, people I had a feeling had been paid well to perform an elaborate ruse.

All while using organizations that could easily become volatile.

The house was locked down, a few lights left on. I headed through the bottom floor, turning off a few lights while searching for her.

My beautiful guest was nowhere to be found.