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“What kind of life? Where have you been? With whom?”
Is that a spark of jealousy I see in her eyes? I sit down on the bed beside her. “I promise you I haven’t been happy. It was an empty life because I didn’t have my favorite person with me.”
This time, when I lift my hand to stroke my fingers through her hair, she lets me. The soft silver strands flow through my fingers like water, though Zenya watches me cautiously.
Suddenly she gasps and sits up. “The warehouse. All those dead bodies. I can’t just leave them like that.”
I take her shoulders and settle her back against the pillows. “Where do you think you’re going with an injury? I brought men with me. I already said that I’ll take care of everything.”
She frowns at me, studying me with suspicion. “Why have you returned now? Why one day after my eighteenth birthday?”
A slow, heated smile spreads over my face. She can draw her own conclusions about that. “Just be thankful I showed up when I did. I haven’t heard you say,Thank you for saving my life, Uncle Kristian.”
Zenya presses her lips together. “That’s because I still remember you saying,It won’t be for long. I swear I’ll be back.Two years. Is that your idea of not long?”
I reach out to take her in my arms, but she lies down, pulling the blankets up to her chin. “Don’t touch me. I’m so angry with you. Now go away because I want to sleep.”
I wait until she’s settled down on her back and then I lean over her, bracing my hands on either side of her pillow. “I know you’re angry, but I’m angry, too. If it had been up to me, I never would have left in the first place.”
Zenya’s face softens, but she doesn’t say anything.
You love your Uncle Kristian, remember?
“I’m going to work hard to make it up to you.”
“How?”
“We have so much to catch up on, you and me.” I let that rest in the air while I stare into her eyes. Then I let my gaze drop to her lips. I’m so close I could kiss her.
But I stay where I am. I just want to remind her that I once did, two years ago, and if she’s a very,verygood girl…
I might do it again.
“Night, princess,” I murmur, a smile curving my lips. “Dream of me.”
* * *
It takes me,Mikhail, and half a dozen other men until dawn to dispose of the bodies in the warehouse, hose away the blood, and collect the merchandise. Once it’s been delivered to the Silo, I drive Zenya’s car back to Troian’s house and leave it in the driveway for her.
Then Mikhail and I meet at our favorite dive bar to get a drink. It’s dark and seedy and hasn’t changed a bit. The carpet is sticky and the bourbon is excellent, just the way I like it.
“To being home,” I say, raising my glass to my friend.
Mikhail knocks his drink back and gives me a tired glare. “What a welcome fucking home. Come home, he said. It will be fun, he said. And then we’re up to our armpits in blood and body parts on the first night.”
I swallow my bourbon, welcoming the refreshing burn at the back of my throat. “I don’t enjoy scooping up human entrails either, but it’s an important means to my ends.”
“What ends exactly?”
I shoot him a mysterious look. “Getting everything I deserve.”
Mikhail signals to the bartender for another bourbon. “You’ve been cagey about what we’re doing here. The others don’t care. They’re just happy being part of the Belyaev crew, but I remember when you were thrown out two years ago, and it makes me wonder what you’re really up to.”
“Oh, didn’t I say?” I ask, even though I know for a fact that I didn’t breathe a word about my intentions to anyone.
“You don’t tell me shit,” Mikhail says, but he smiles good-naturedly at me.
I shake my head when the bartender tries to refill my glass because I need a clear head this morning. I wait until he pours one for Mikhail and walks away before I continue.
