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“Do you need protection?” he whispers. “Just say the word.”
“Like you protected my mom?” I reply sharply.
“We did our best.” His expression becomes defensive with a touch of arrogance. “We misjudged how much danger she was in.”
I close my eyes to conceal my shock. Dad said she had gone to the police, and Kenney has just confirmed it.
“It was a robbery gone wrong,” I say quietly.
“Paige.” He leans in, lowering his voice. “You can’t be married to your husband and believe that. The Bratva have been hanging around Cynthia’s old apartment. They won’t leave it alone.”
I place my hands in my lap to hide the trembling. “Who? Do you have names?”
He leans back, stretching his arm along the back of the booth. “No. But we know they’re looking for something.”
“Not my husband. He hasn’t been there.” For a moment, I’m tempted to confide in Kenney, even just to get more information.
But the coldly calculating look in the depth of his eyes keeps me wary.
“No, not your husband.” He nods. “Butsomeoneis watching, probably waiting for your husband. Your husband is involved in things you don’t want to know about. Trust me, Paige. He’s not the hero of this story.”
My voice hardens. “Thanks for the warning.”
“You need to do more than thank me for it.”
I shift in my seat and have second thoughts about Emma spending the day with Kenney. I look over and watch Emma laugh and act silly around normal kids not mixed up with the Bratva. She needs this reminder of how happy she was before I got her involved in my screwed-up life. It’s too late for me. My heart is entangled with a man I want more than being an honest person, and my brain can’t convince me I’m making a deadly mistake.
“You can head out, Paige.” Kenney takes out his wallet and places his debit card on the table. “I’ll wait here until Emma is ready to go.”
“Thank you, Kenney.” I hesitate, pulling my bag off the seat. “You’ve been a big help since Mom died.”
“We’re still family, Paige,” he says. “Someone has to look out for our interests.”
I don’t like the way he smiles, as if he knows I’ll need him sooner or later. It makes me feel like I’ll owe him a favor. I wonder if he’ll use me to get to Andrei. Show up at our home and drag Andrei away in handcuffs because I said something foolish that accidentally incriminates him.
I glance over at Emma with her friends. She starts to stand, but I hold up my hand, smiling to stop her from getting up.
“Have fun,” I call out as I leave. “Text when you need a ride.”
Chapter 41
Paige
The house is eerily quiet when I return home. Andrei is out on a job, and I feel an ominous unease as I walk aimlessly through the empty hallways.
It’s too quiet, like a crypt filled with the ghosts of the men I’ll never see again.
Sometimes I wonder who won’t come back. When did I become this melodramatic? I don’t get creeped out by being alone. Still, someone must be here. I search downstairs until I find Natasha sitting in the kitchen, chatting with the chef. No food is being prepared yet; it’s too early for dinner. And I wave off the chef’s kind offer to make me something light to eat.
“Where is everyone?” I ask.
“They’re out on business—a construction site in Lower Manhattan, off Canal Street,” replies Natasha. “They’ll be back soon.”
Now, I can read her body language, and I can tell by her dismissive gesture she’s telling me the truth. Natasha breaks eye contact right before she lies.
But I pace the hallways, unable to shake this unnerving feeling. I check my phone, shocked when I realize Emma has been out for three hours. Maybe Kenney let her go off with her friends? But she should be back by now. I told the Rover to remain in Twin Rivers so she could be picked up.
My fingers fly over the screen as I text her.
