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“I don’t want a tutor,” she mumbles and angrily flips the page.
“It could help,” I offer again as I pass by her, working my watch onto my wrist. “But it would have to be a female.”
She looks up from her book with a confused expression. “Why a woman?”
“Because I’m not leaving you alone with some college kid looking to score.” I finally get the wristband secured.
“You don’t trust me?” She tilts her head to the side. She needs a nap, I think. A long sleep. She looks worn out from work, from studying, and from me keeping her out until the sun rose this morning. I wasn’t sure if she’d enjoy spending time at Nikolai’s dance club, but once we hit the floor, I couldn’t get her off it. I’m lucky my mama was a smart woman and taught me how to dance.
I grab my leather jacket from the armchair where I tossed it a while ago and climb into it. “I trust you, Pchelka. But I’m a possessive man.” I lean over the back of the couch and kiss her cheek. “And I don’t share.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re insane.”
“So you tell me, repeatedly.” I kiss her again as my phone goes off.
“Do you have a meeting or something?” she asks as I check the messages flying through. “You look like you’re going out.”
“I was.” Instead of texting Stepan back, I hit the call button, pressing the phone to my ear.
“You got my messages?” he asks as soon as he picks up.
Avery’s eyes are following me, so I speak in Russian. “I did. When did you hear this?”
“Last night. I was at Euphoria, chasing after a really fucking hot brunette. When I went to take a piss, I heard them talking.”
“In the bathroom?”
“The Raskolnikovs basically run the club. It’s a safe spot for them, or at least they thought.” He pauses. “Abram Raskolnikov has discovered you. Says he got information from back home and knows you were the one sent. He also knows you’re still in town.”
“Someone back home?” A small handful of men back home know what target I was given. All of whom had given the green light to go ahead with the assassination. For any of them to speak of it would give away their agreement to the hit.
“They didn’t say who.” He takes a breath. “You’re a target, Luka. Abram has called for retaliation.”
I glance over at Avery sitting on the couch, still mouthing the names of bones to herself. She’s an innocent. It won’t matter to Abram though. If she can be used against me, she will be.
“I need to get Avery somewhere safe. Then I’ll handle it,” I say, already working out the details in my mind.
“Bring her to Maxim’s.”
“I can’t. He’s dealing with a mess over at Arman’s. Igor went off the rails at Arman and Anya about their marriage. It’s ugly there right now. I was on my way over to Nikolai’s when you called.”
“I’ll send someone over to stay with her.” His voice dips.
“Get Boris. He’s one of Nikolai’s men. I trust him,” I agree after a moment.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I’ll call Gregor. We’ll need him and Nikolai too.”
“Nikolai is at his father’s house. There was an issue. Call Gregor and we’ll meet him at the warehouse on the river.”
“You got it. On my way.”
The call ends.
“What’s wrong?” She closes the book, using her thumb as a bookmark. “You have that tone, like you’re ready to go to war about something.”
She’ll be safe here. Security is tight in the building, and with Boris here with her, I don’t have to worry she’ll be in any danger.
“Nothing I can’t handle,” I assure her, stuffing my phone in my back pocket. “I have to get a few things ready. I have to go out with Stepan for a few hours. Boris, a friend, will stay here with you.”
