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We enter the room, and she stops. I have to wrap my arm around her waist and tug her forward. “Come on, Malyshka. He doesn’t bite. Besides, it’ll take a minute to find him in this crowd.” I lean down so she can hear me above the bumping bass of the music.
Everywhere we look, people are doing drugs, fucking, or dancing. A few less-adventurous souls are chatting on low couches strewn around the room.
I spot Eric across the room and weave through the people to get to him. He rises when we reach the low cream-colored couch he’s lounging on. “Ivan. Man. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you here. Do you need something? Or I guess the better question is, are you here for business or pleasure?”
His gaze shifts to Cilla at my side, and he sweeps her an appreciative glance that makes me tighten my hold on her. “Business, I’m afraid. I need to know if you’ve recently seen an influx of designer drugs.”
He blinks and shakes his head. “You know I don’t traffic with small businessmen.”
“It’s not that. I’m not here on Adrian’s behalf. I want to know if you’ve seen anything hitting the city markets with strange additives. Promises that the drugs can’t keep?”
His lips thin as he narrows his eyes. He shoves out of his chair and crosses the room, beckoning us to follow. We move to the corner of the room. In as much privacy as this place affords, he leans in, forcing me to stare down at him. It’s not a position many men are comfortable with.
“Look. There have been a few instances lately. One drug that promises the best sex of your life if taken by both partners. Another that supposedly turns people into zombies, walking and talking mind control.”
I risk a glance at Cilla and find her gaze wide.
“Eric, call me if you get any info on either of these or who might be moving them, selling them, any of that shit. Even though I’m not here for Adrian, I know he’d consider it a special favor if you help us.”
He nods, eyes glimmering at the idea of Adrian owing him something. Having Adrian on your side in this town is something you more than want. I lead Cilla back out, relieved we didn’t have to stay too long, mixed with the crowd and noise.
On the ride down, I study her. “Did you see anyone you recognize?”
She shakes her head and wraps her arms around her body, almost like she’s hugging herself. Shit. I forgot to get her a jacket when I asked Michail to pick out some clothing. I’ll remedy that soon enough.
“No, no one I recognize.”
“Then why did you look so scared when we were talking to Eric?”
She stares at her feet and taps her toe on the expensive tile. “Because I recognize the drugs he spoke about. The sex one you’ve already tried for yourself. The other one, my father has been developing for a long time. It’s more of a mind-control drug. I didn’t think…or well…I don’t know if it actually works or not. Sometimes, he’d test drugs on me, and I don’t remember, so…he could have tested that one on me too.” Her voice breaks at the end, and I wrap my hands around her shoulders and pull her to my chest. The mere reminder of how pathetic and shitty her father is makes me want to kill him and bring him back to life so I can do it all over again. There’s a protectiveness that this woman brings out in me for her, and I don’t understand why.
“He won’t touch you again. He won’t make you take anything you don’t want. I can promise you that.”
She sniffs, snuggling tighter against me. “You can’t promise me that. If he gets ahold of me again, he’ll punish me for running and embarrassing him. Knowing him, he will probably kill me.”
I stiffen and squeeze her closer. “He’ll have to get through me first.”
“Why do you even care? I’m no one to you. Less than no one, actually.” She lifts her face to look up at me. “I’m probably on your own personal revenge list right now.”
A tear streaks down her soft cheek, and I catch it with my thumb and bring it to my lips. The salty tang explodes against my tongue. “What I care about isn’t something you need to worry about. Now, let’s go back to the apartment and determine if these drugs have been seen elsewhere in the city.”
When we return to the apartment, though, Adrian is sitting in a chair facing out the window, his arms on the edges, his hands form in steeples in the middle under his chin. As usual, he’s in a suit, looking like a walking couture ad or some shit. Just like Kai usually does.
