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“Enough!” I bark. “Get out.”
I hear them shuffling out the door. Dmitri is in the hall giving orders, telling the men not to loiter. Viktor coughs to clear his throat. I smell the smoke from Natasha’s cigarette from outside. Eva’s hand gently touches my back for a second, and a chill freezes me.
Did she see a shadow of my father just now? I keep my eyes shut until the door softly closes.
I lift my head and look into Paige’s eyes. Despite the havoc, I see she isn’t judging me. The heat leaves my brain as I pull her closer. Her softness against me is like kindness and forgiveness touching me. Paige relaxes into me, and I need her to stay with me. But that means telling her the truth, no matter how destructive.
“We need to speak in private,” I whisper.
***
“I don’t understand why Kenney would do this.”
I don’t answer Paige, but she’s the only one who doesn’t suspect what’s obvious. Someone has bought Kenney, but who? My guess is Igor, but there are others, the Novikovs among them. Or maybe no one owns him, and Kenney simply saw an opportunity. He must’ve learned about the money. Gossip is currency, as the saying goes, especially to law enforcement. Any good lead is valuable, and this one is gold.
Kenney has to know about the money. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
In our suite, Paige and I sit in the living room around a small table obscured by plates of food. I insist she eats, and when she brushes it off as unimportant, I remind her of the baby. She relents, picking at a plate of pasta and snow peas covered in garlic butter.
After a few bites, we return to figuring this mess out. I can tell by Paige’s confused expression that Kenney doesn’t have her completely fooled. She knows more than she lets on, but will she reveal to me what she really thinks?
“My father will know why Kenney did it,” she says softly. “He’s mentioned something to me when I saw him.”
I place my fork down and lean forward until Paige has to look at me. I search her face for any signs of deceit. “He mentioned the money?” I ask.
And then I realize my mistake. I’ve never mentioned the money to Paige before.
“So, we’re ready to talk about this now?” Paige shoots back. “After all this time?”
Will admitting the truth after so long end our tentative trust? Will our marriage turn back into a complete fraud? I decide to take a risk and tell the truth.
“Yes,” I say. “The money that your father stole. I don’t know any of the details, but I’m certain a lot of Bratva money is deposited in a number of offshore accounts.”
“And you know where they are?” she asks, her voice wavering slightly.
Watching her closely, I shake my head. “No, I don’t.”
“But you think I do,” she replies quietly.
Paige looks away and holds her mouth shut tight. She tries to hide her relief, but her shoulders sink slightly. She’s never spoken about the money before, and the doubts I’ve had in the past surge to the surface again. My heart beats loudly in my ears.
“How did you find out about the money?” I ask casually, picking up my fork.
Paige watches me, her eyes alert to my movements.
“Talia told me.” She inhales deeply, as if letting a secret out. “She said that’s why you brought me here. That’s why you wanted to get close to my father.” Her gaze doesn’t leave my face as she challenges me. “That’s the reason why you married me. Why my family is here, and why you’re using me.”
“And why didn’t you ask me about that when you first returned?”
“Would it have done us any good?” she replies. “You would’ve denied it and reminded me that your businesses are yours, and that this is all part of your plan.”
“So you believed her?” I ask simply. “You believe Talia?”
“Did you always know about my father and the money, Andrei?” Paige scoffs, pushing her plate away. “Is that why you danced with me at that awful wedding?”
“I didn’t know who or what you were when we met,” he replies. “And I had no idea that your father was the thief I’ve been looking for.”
Suddenly, a new thought enters my head, switching on a light and making me feel like a fool fumbling in the dark.
