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“Maybe,” I reply. “He wasn’t himself, Emma. He loved us. Being around these people changes a person.”
“And yet here we still are,” she replies flatly.
“We need that money, Emma.” My harsh tone is not directed at her. “I spoke to Kenney, and he’s being an ass.”
“Not being,” she quips. “Is.”
“Emma, I know you don’t want to talk about what happened. But maybe you should.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” she whispers, staring at the beam of light at her feet. “If there was, I would tell you. Remember, no more secrets.”
“No more secrets,” I echo her.
“But if I ever get a chance to get even,” she says, “I’m taking it.”
I don’t say anything to dissuade her. I don’t reassure her or say meaningless things to make it better. I don’t remind her that she’s a better person than that. I don’t shame her for being angry about being mistreated.
A part of me hopes she’ll get her chance at revenge.
With Emma’s help, I lower my jeans and press the piece of duct tape against my bare thigh until it sticks. I hope it doesn’t slide out of my hem at the worst possible moment. We walk in silence down the path.
Now that we have something, I don’t know who to ask, much less trust.
Andrei should be my first choice. But would he even give me access to my own money—ill-gotten as it is? After all, he keeps reminding me how much he needs this money for his war. And once upon a time, he made it perfectly clear that he wanted me to return it all.
“Emma,” I whisper as the house comes into view. “What is the likelihood you could arrange for me to meet Stefan’s grandmother—the widow Nikolaeva?”
“Why?” She narrows her eyes in the dark.
“We can’t run away without help,” I reply. “Much less disappear. We need someone who has better connections than Andrei. We need Bratva royalty.”
The wind rustles through the trees, and both of us look around us in alarm. When nothing emerges from the shadows, Emma nods.
“I can get you an invitation to her home.”
Chapter 15
Paige
I have forgotten all about the Nokia phone until I hear it chime annoyingly one Saturday afternoon. I grab it and answer it for no other reason than to shut off that irritating noise.
“Paige?” Kenney speaks when I don’t answer. “Paige!”
“What do you want?” I whisper, covering my mouth as I look over my shoulder. Andrei is downstairs in his office, I hope, and not somewhere close to the suite.
“We need to meet,” he replies.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I hurry into the ensuite and lock the door. “I’m not meeting you anywhere. Not after everything you’ve done.”
“Paige,” he whines. “We don’t have time to argue. Just come and meet me. It’s important!”
I scoff at the tone in his voice, like I owe him anything. “You have some nerve, making demands.”
“And have I done anything that’s any worse than what your husband has done?” he asks.
I inhale sharply, unable to come up with a quick response. He’s not wrong. But I don’t want to admit it.
“I’m not meeting you, Kenney,” I say. “Talia wants me dead, and you’re only going to bring me to her.”
