Page 50 of Then We Shatter

I adopt a look of innocence. Despite my pedigree, it comes naturally. “I was talking about the large, purple phallus in your hand. I don’t know where your mind went. Unless…” I press against her and roll my hips. “Do you think my cock is gifted, Katarina?”

For a second, a smile tries to tug free from the corners of her mouth, but her glower wins. “Stop it,” she says. “You have no idea what hell you put me through.”

Her words are raw and it’s a timely reminder of what a shit I am. I let go of her wrists and wrap my arms tightly around her. “I’m sorry about yesterday. Things didn’t go as planned.”

“You planned that shitshow?” she screeches as loudly as she dares. “In what alternate universe did you think it was a good idea to run Rory Moncrief off the road? You almost killed him!”

“I didn’t touch him,” I say in my defense. “You have no idea how much warning I gave the big idiot.” She gives a dismissive huff, so I try again. “Look, I’d sped up behind his car, flashing my lights so he was aware something was going down, and when I overtook him, I swear it was just a nudge.”

I’d tried explaining it in my texts yesterday, but she’d shut me down. I’m not sure I’m faring much better with my in-person explanation. By rights, there should be steam coming out of Katarina’s ears.

“I swerved towards him. That’s all. There was no contact between our vehicles,” I emphasize. “But the bastard overcompensated and lost control. He wasn’t supposed to hit a fucking streetlight.”

Katarina isn’t convinced. “Why, Killian?”

“Look, I chose a spot that didn’t have surveillance, swapped cars a few times so I couldn’t be traced, and I wore my disguise. No one is going to pin it on me, Kitty. Honestly, if anyone fucked up, it was Rory for being a crap driver.”

Katarina continues to give me her death stare. Ah, right. She’s still waiting for the why.

“I wanted it to look like a deliberate attempt to drive him off the road.”

“Congratulations. Mission achieved,” she snipes. “He’s covered in cuts and bruises, and is lucky to have walked away.” She shoves my shoulder. “Explain.”

“It was to look like a warning from Vasili. A nudge, nothing more,” I repeat. “One aimed at Duke so he’d get back into line.” I raise my eyebrows, hoping she’ll confirm that message was received. She doesn’t. “We needed him to pull the plug on whatever he was planning with Grace.”

“Oh, Duke was ready to pull the plug, Killian. On everything,” she says. “You have no idea how close I came to being hauled back to Russia yesterday.”

A shard of ice stabs at my heart. “Shit.”

“Yes, shit. Duke’s not as strong as he makes out.”

Duke’s welfare is so far down in my list of priorities, it’s practically non-existent. Fair play to him for stepping up to help Katarina, but I wouldn’t be human if I wasn’t pissed at him too. He’s the one posing as her fiancé, showing her off in public, claiming her as his when she’s mine.

“He’s a big enough fella. He can handle the pressure,” I say, but without conviction. I know he’s had his struggles.

Katarina immediately calls me out on it. “Like Lorcan?”

I don’t meet her gaze.

“Duke already had a death threat hanging over one brother and you go and make it look like other members of his family are under attack! For fuck’s sake, Killian. You have no idea–”

I clamp a hand over her mouth before she can continue with her rant. “Run that past me again, Kitty,” I say slowly. “Who’s been threatening who?”

When her shoulders sag just a little, it feels like surrender. I remove my hand. “Vasili is holding the youngest Moncrief hostage,” she says, suddenly meek and deservedly so. I’m not the only one who fucked up.

“You didn’t think that was an important detail to share with me?”

Her eyes narrow. “Maybe I was worried you’d pull some crazy stunt to get him back,” she replies. “And he’s not being mistreated. He’s simply under house arrest. It just happens to be a Russian safe house. No one else in the family knows except Duke.”

That makes sense. If Rory knew, he would have blabbed to Ash and his reaction would be loud enough for everyone to hear. “How long have they had him?”

“A few weeks,” she says in a tone that suggests it’s a bit more than that. “Vasili kidnapped him after Duke delayed setting a date for the wedding once too often.”

“That’s why Duke didn’t break off the engagement when you stopped cooperating,” I say. At least it isn’t because he’s been secretly lusting after Katarina.

“And it’s why your little stunt almost pushed Duke over the edge,” Katarina adds. A heavy sigh deflates her completely. “I’ve had to backtrack on everything.”

Dread claws at my throat. “What does that mean?”