Page 7 of Savage Little Lies

Cara

Meeting Annika in Dmitri’s office was… enlightening.

If I wasn’t motivated before, I am now. Her wedding dress will never see the aisle.

Darkness cloaks downtown Las Vegas as sunset submits to the night, to the headlights, store lights, and streetlights illuminating the busy sidewalks and streets. I pull down the visor of my baseball cap, casting an extra shadow over my face as I head down the sidewalk toward one of the city’s finest Russian establishments.

I won’t be dining in tonight, but I know who will thanks to the appointment on his calendar.

My heartbeat picks up faster the closer I get, but before I can reach the restaurant, my phone rings in the pocket of my black coat. I slow down to a stop and check the caller ID, my blood running cold as “Deadbeat” flashes across my screen.

I was expecting a call, but not right now when I’m in the middle of doing recon.

Stalking.

Same thing.

With a grimace, I step into the nearest alleyway to get off the sidewalk and answer the phone. “Hi, Dad.”

“Cara, my dear, what took you so long to answer?”

Dmitri likes control. My father worships it. Which is just another reason not to get on his bad side. He can’t stand it when people don’t fall in line.

Especially his own daughter.

“Sorry, I’m just picking up dinner,” I tell him, forcing my voice to be steady and calm.

“Well? For feck’s sake, give me an update. Have you gotten closer to him?” he questions me impatiently.

I lean my back against the brick wall, choosing my words carefully. “Yes, I have. He’s letting me sit in on a meeting tomorrow, so he’s trusting me more.”

“He needs to personally trust you, Cara. I don’t care what’s going on in his meetings. I want to know what’s going on in his house.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. “I understand. I’m trying to be professional first. I don’t want to overstep and get fired.”

“This is a critical mission, yeah?” Sean reminds me in a stern voice. “I didn’t trust you with this to run around and do his bidding. Has he mentioned who the next Pakhan will be? Is the rumor true? He’s engaged to that prissy Suyunov bitch?”

“He speaks to a lot of people in Russian, so I’m not sure about Pakhan, but I-I think he and Annika Suyunov are engaged.”

“You think so? It’s a simple yes or no answer, Cara,” he grumbles into the phone.

“I didn’t see a ring on her finger, but she’s already referring to herself as his wife.”

“So, then you need to figure out a way to break up his engagement before the wedding happens, yeah? We’re running out of time!”

His raised voice still has the power to make me feel like I’m thirteen again.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, my voice threatening to waver. “I’m doing all that I can without looking suspicious.”

Sean sighs heavily into the phone. He has no confidence in me, which makes my heart ache. “Just get it done, yeah? We can’t let this alliance happen, or we’ll be hemorrhaging money something fierce in a matter of weeks. And you know who will have to pay the cost for that, don’t you?”

Me.

He’ll sell me to the highest bidder.

“I won’t let that happen,” I blurt out, unable to rein back my desperation. “Their relationship is already weaker than I thought it would be. If you can even call it a relationship. They’re not close.”

“Then capitalize on that weakness. Do not let them get any closer,” Sean warns me. “It’s fine if the eejit fucks her, but she can’t become his wife.”