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That’s his real concern here. If I’m busy with her, I won’t be able to continue building the empire he has assigned to me. I won’t beusefulto him anymore.
And that’s the only thing that’s ever mattered.
The only reason I’m standing in front of him today, an army of men at my beck and call, is because he saw potential in me. The life I have, I owe to Sergey. I am grateful for that, despite what he seems to think.
I sure as fuck won’t throw it away for Piper Quinn.
17
TIMOFEY
I leave the meeting room to see how well Piper can follow directions. She’s supposed to be waiting for me in my office, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s stumbled into some calamity or other in the ten minutes she’s been out of sight.
I’m almost to my office when Fyodor hurries around a corner and flags me down. “You have a guest, Mr. Viktorov.”
“I fucking knew it. I told Piper to wait in my office. I can handle her from—”
“Not Ms. Quinn,” Fyodor cuts in. “Another guest. One who would like to remain…discreet.”
Fyodor fixes me with a meaningful look, and I understand instantly. “Where?”
“The south entrance. The cameras are on a loop.”
I turn back the way I came and stride away from my office. For all the time Piper has already stolen from me, she can wait a few more minutes. This is important.
Just like Fyodor said, I see a hooded figure standing outside the door to the southern entrance. I open the door and the figure steps inside, head lowered.
“Are you alone?” he mumbles.
“Do you see anyone else here with me, idiot?”
Detective Rooney lifts his face and looks around the alcove at the back of the house. “I can’t be too careful. I’m risking a lot by even being here.”
“I’m paying you well for it,” I remind him. “What’s this about?”
His salt-and-pepper mustache twitches in irritation. “A body popped up near the docks this morning. Albanian. A gunshot through the eye.”
My expression doesn’t change. “And?”
“And I know it was you, Timofey!” he hisses. “Whoever dumped the body did nothing to disguise the person, and I know you met with the Albanians last night.”
I nod. “Thanks for keeping the patrols away from the warehouse.”
Rooney drags a hand down his face. His under-eyes are baggy and gray. A kinder man would feel bad for him—not only is he a homicide detective in a big, violent city, but he’s a dirty one to boot.
I don’t feel a goddamn thing.
“Thanks for the warning,” he grumbles back, sarcasm thick in his voice. “I could have cooked something up if I’d known this was coming. But I wasn’t even the one to find the body.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “It wasn’t exactly planned.”
“You could have called after it happened.”
“I was a little busy washing away the blood.” The memory of Piper’s eyes bulging at the sight of the blood under my chin flashes through me like a cold front. I grimace. A stupid oversight—that’s all it was. That’s all it needs to be.
Rooney leans back against the wall and shakes his head. “I’ve done as much as I can, but I don’t know if I can shut this one up. Especially with Kreshnik involved.”
“Kreshnik won’t say shit. This won’t look good for him, either.”
