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Talia’s eyes narrow on me. “I’m only here as a go-between.”
“In what capacity?” I ask.
Talia drapes a cloth napkin over her lap while responding flippantly. “Your sister-in-law, Emma, is my guest.”
Paige jumps to her feet, losing all calm and control, as expected. “Where is my sister? If you put her into one of those cells, I’ll bury you under one of them.”
“Paige, dear. Please sit down.” I nod to Yari, but Paige tugs herself away and sits back down.
“Careful, my dear.” Talia smiles. “You don’t want to upset the baby.”
I slam my hand down on the table and make the glasses jump. “You’re here to talk about my sister-in-law, not my baby, Talia.”
Valeri laughs. “Yes, Talia. Ladies, let’s retract the claws and discuss business like the reasonable people we are.”
Talia simmers down quickly, shifting in her seat and tugging at the hem of her dress. “Like I said, I’m only the go between.”
“Who’s in charge?” I demand. The conversation stops as the waiter enters with the wine. He pours three glasses and refills Paige’s with water. The moment of silence cuts the tension before it can escalate further.
“I won’t tell you because I can’t,” replies Talia when the waiter leaves. She sits back and lifts her chin like a brat.
“She was with her cousin,” I reply. “What happened to him? Did you hurt him?”
Talia grins. “No, I’m not stupid enough to hurt a cop.”
“Then how did you get her if you had nothing to do with it?” Paige asks.
Too late, Talia realizes her mistake—she told the truth. She is in charge. Talia looks at Valeri.
He smiles and starts spewing bullshit. “We saw them together, and when Kenney was jumped, we swooped in.”
Talia doesn’t do favors. She doesn’t know how.
“So, you took advantage of a situation?” I ask.
She nods, then looks over at Paige. “Just like you, Andrei.” Talia picks up her wineglass but doesn’t drink. “Don’t worry. I’m treating the girl well. She’s sleeping with the staff with the door locked. It’s the only part of the house she has seen.” Talia smirks at Paige.
“What do you want, Talia?” I ask her sternly. “There is no go-between. So far, speaking to you has been a waste of time.”
“I wouldn’t lie to you, Andrei,” Talia replies. “I wouldn’t promise you something and then take it away.”
I can hardly say the words without growling. “When are you going to lose gracefully?”
“Lose?” Talia tosses her hair and eyes me. “I think I’ve won. I have Emma.”
“That doesn’t give you what you want. Which is me,” I reply coldly. “All the things you do won’t convince me to change my mind.”
“But it can change.” Talia eyes Paige, her eyes lingering on her necklace. “Do you love her, Andrei?”
I reach for Paige’s hand and hold it tight. “What do you want from us?”
Talia twists her lips, her gaze on our intertwined hands. “Do youloveher, Andrei?”
I hesitate. If I say how I really feel, she’ll kill Emma. “My wife and I have a bond.”
It sounds so lame that they both laugh at us. Paige pulls her hand out of mine, and I let it go. She has to understand by now how I really feel. I’m trying hard to get Emma back in one piece. I’ve seen what Talia has done to her enemies. We both have.
“I’ll do an exchange.” Talia smiles in giddy triumph. “A Reyes for a Reyes.”
